By Our Correspondent
Troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA have neutralized two terrorists and rescued an unspecified number of abducted civilians in back-to-back operations across Sokoto and Katsina states, security sources confirmed Sunday.
The raids, conducted between June 21 and 22, mark the latest in a series of intensified offensives targeting terrorist enclaves in Nigeria’s volatile North West region, where kidnapping for ransom and cattle rustling have displaced thousands in recent months.
In the first operation, troops repelled an attempted infiltration of Tureta town in Sokoto State on Saturday after receiving actionable intelligence. The terrorists retreated but were tracked by aerial surveillance to Sulubawa Gidan Kare village, where they were holding captives and moving rustled livestock.
“The troops immediately went in pursuit,” said Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, Media Information Officer for the Joint Task Force North West. “Despite a hastily mounted ambush, our men fought through with exceptional courage and superior firepower, compelling the criminals to scatter.”
The pursuit led to the rescue of all abducted persons and the recovery of rustled cattle, Danja said. Two motorcycles used by the terrorists were also seized.
In a separate dawn operation on Sunday, troops raided a known terrorist hideout in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State. The surprise assault triggered a gunfight that left two terrorists dead and several others fleeing with gunshot wounds, according to the military.
Recoveries from the hideout included one PKT assault rifle, one AK-47 rifle with ammunition, three motorcycles, mobile communication devices, and rustled livestock.
Local residents who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity confirmed heavy gunfire in the Matazu area during the early hours of Sunday but said they could not ascertain civilian casualties.
The North West has witnessed a surge in banditry and terrorist activity, with communities in Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara, and Kaduna states bearing the brunt of recurring attacks. Operation FANSAN YAMMA, a joint military task force, was launched to restore security in the region.
Danja assured the public that operations would continue aggressively.
“We will sustain these operations to dismantle all terrorist networks, deny them freedom of action, and restore lasting peace across the region,” he said.
Efforts to reach independent security analysts for comment on the operation’s broader impact were unsuccessful as of press time.
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