Troops have arrested a suspected foreign Islamic State (ISIS) operative believed to be an Arab of Moroccan origin, in Cross Kauwa, Kukawa LGA of Borno state.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication, that the suspect was arrested after troops repelled a coordinated terrorist assault on Cross Kauwa, forcing the insurgents to abandon equipment and flee.
Makama said troops immediately launched exploitation operations, extending search and pursuit missions along the terrorists’ withdrawal routes.
“During the exploitation exercise conducted on Monday, troops recovered additional operational materials believed to have been abandoned during the insurgents’ hasty withdrawal,” Makama said.
“Among the items recovered were high-frequency hand-held radios (HHR), communication equipment considered crucial to the command and control structure of the terrorist group.
“According to the sources, intelligence gathered from the recovered materials enabled troops to expand the pursuit deep into the Lake Chad Islands (LCI) axis, extending operations towards Abadam Local Government Area.
“The operation culminated in the arrest of a fleeing foreign suspect believed to be an Arab of Moroccan origin with suspected links to the Islamic State (ISIS).
“Military sources disclosed that the suspect had earlier come under intelligence scrutiny following forensic exploitation conducted jointly with international partners on video footage extracted from a camcorder recovered after the Cross Kauwa encounter.
“The camcorder, according to the sources, belonged to a terrorist cameraman who was killed during the failed assault on Cross Kauwa.”
