Troops Crush Boko Haram/ISWAP Onslaught in Timbuktu Triangle

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have decisively repelled drone-led assaults by Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists in Borno State’s volatile Timbuktu Triangle, destroying key camps and seizing vital supplies during intense operations on January 18, 2026.​

Operational Breakthroughs

Under Operation Desert Sanity, ground forces launched intelligence-driven raids from forward positions into terrorist strongholds at Chilaria, Garin Faruk, and Abirma, supported by air component surveillance.​ This synergy tracked enemy movements in real time, blocked reinforcements, and boosted strike accuracy amid the forested Sambisa Forest enclave.​ Troops neutralized multiple camps, exposing underground storage and logistics hubs that sustained insurgent operations.

Repelled Drone Strikes

Midday brought armed drone attacks from retreating fighters, yet troops pressed forward undeterred.​ A renewed evening assault met fierce resistance, compelling terrorists to flee and solidifying military control over the zone.​ The area remains calm yet tense, with forces on high alert.​

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Looted Terror Assets

Raiders captured Baofeng radios, mobile phones, five AK-47 magazines, 7.62x39mm rounds, NATO belted ammo, ISWAP flags, 12.7x108mm links, grinding machines, medical stocks, grain sacks, a pickup truck, and fuel dumps—severely crippling enemy sustainment.​ These hauls echo prior successes in the Triangle, a notorious hub near Damboa linking Abirma and Chilaria.

Strategic Context

The Timbuktu Triangle endures as a Boko Haram/ISWAP bastion, but relentless Hadin Kai campaigns degrade their networks, following earlier clearances and air strikes in adjacent areas.​ Command vows sustained pressure to safeguard civilians and secure the Northeast.