Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have dismantled three detention facilities operated by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in the Timbuktu Triangle, a forest corridor spanning parts of Borno and Yobe states.

The military said the operation led to the escape of more than 70 captives and the death of at least 32 insurgents.

The development was confirmed on Tuesday in a statement by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, North East, Lt. Col. Sanni Uba, who described the mission as a major breakthrough after two weeks of coordinated offensives.

According to him, the troops pushed deep into the forest during sustained clearance operations, uncovering the hidden facilities believed to have been used by the terrorists to detain civilians.

He explained that the camps, located in Gujba Local Government Area, had long served as strongholds for the insurgents and were previously considered difficult for security forces to access.

The operation formed part of a wider military campaign tagged *Operation Desert Sanity V*, which focuses on dislodging terrorist groups from their enclaves through intelligence-led attacks and sustained pressure.

Military authorities said the three facilities were large enough to hold hundreds of detainees, underlining their strategic importance to the insurgents’ operations.

Preliminary findings indicated that continuous troop offensives forced the terrorists to abandon the camps, allowing dozens of captives to escape during the chaos.

During the encounters, security forces engaged the fighters in several clashes, killing no fewer than 32 of them. Among those reportedly neutralised were two senior commanders and three other key operatives. Several others were said to have fled with injuries.

After securing the area, soldiers demolished the facilities to prevent the insurgents from returning or reusing them.

The army noted that beyond the immediate gains, the destruction of the detention centres weakens the group’s ability to hold civilians hostage, demand ransom and maintain control over communities.

Officials added that information from the freed captives could provide useful intelligence for future operations.

Despite describing the overall security situation in the North-East as calm but still unpredictable, the military said troops remain motivated and committed to sustaining pressure on terrorist elements.

The armed forces reiterated their resolve to deny insurgents safe havens and restore lasting peace across the region.