Troops Repel ISWAP Attack on Mandaragirau FOB, Detonate IED During Clearance Operation in Borno

By Zagazola Makama

Troops of the 162 Amphibious Battalion under Operation Hadin Kai have successfully repelled an attack by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists on Forward Operating Base (FOB) Mandaragirau in Borno State.

Security sources said the attack occurred at about 2:00 a.m. on August 15, 2026, when the terrorists launched a coordinated assault on the base from two separate fronts.

According to the sources, the troops, who were on high alert, immediately engaged the advancing terrorists after sighting them. The Battalion Commander reportedly led standby troops to reinforce ambush teams already deployed along likely enemy approaches.

A heavy exchange of fire ensued, during which the troops decisively repelled the attack on one axis, inflicting significant disruption on the assailants.

In a separate manoeuvre, another group of terrorists attempted to bypass the ambush positions and breach the camp through the river line. However, they were also successfully repelled by the troops, forcing the attackers to withdraw in disarray.

Following the encounter, troops pursued the fleeing terrorists, but the operation was later halted due to poor visibility and difficult terrain. Security sources said further exploitation of the area would continue at first light.

No casualties were recorded on the side of the troops, while the number of terrorist casualties could not be immediately ascertained. The situation in the general area was described as calm but highly unpredictable.

Meanwhile, troops conducting follow-up clearance operations along the Mandaragirau–Kana axis on the morning of August 15 discovered and safely detonated a command-detonated improvised explosive device (IED) suspected to have been planted in anticipation of troop reinforcement movement.

Security sources said the IED was detected short of a bridge along the route and was safely neutralised by the clearance team before it could be triggered.

In a related development, troops also discovered the corpse of a civilian who had reportedly fallen victim to another IED planted by the terrorists in the area. The remains were found a few metres from the detonation site during the clearance operation.

Authorities said detailed assessment and photographic documentation of the incidents would be provided as troops conclude ongoing clearance operations in the axis.

Troops Repel ISWAP Attack on Mandaragirau FOB, Detonate IED During Clearance Operation in Borno

ISWAP Fighter Surrenders in Borno After Eight Months in Terrorist Camp

By Zagazola Makama

A 25-year-old suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighter has surrendered to troops in Monguno Local Government Area of Borno State after spending about eight months with the terrorist group.

The surrendered fighter, identified as Alhaji Ali Gambo Kanuri, a native of Ngarinna village in Monguno LGA, reportedly joined the group about eight months ago after being introduced by a friend.

According to military sources, Gambo later became disillusioned with life within the terrorist group and decided to abandon the organisation.

His decision to surrender was reportedly influenced by the difficult conditions confronting members of the group amid sustained military operations against terrorist enclaves in the North-East.

Gambo eventually made his way out of the terrorist-controlled area and surrendered to troops in Monguno town, where he was taken into custody for further processing.

Military sources said the former fighter was subsequently transferred to the appropriate authorities for further action in line with established procedures for persons who voluntarily disengage from terrorist groups.

His surrender comes amid sustained military pressure against Boko Haram and ISWAP elements operating across Borno State, with security forces continuing clearance and counter-terrorism operations in various parts of the North-East.

Authorities have continued to encourage individuals associated with terrorist groups who are willing to disengage from violence to surrender peacefully and submit themselves to the established screening and rehabilitation processes.

ISWAP Fighter Surrenders in Borno After Eight Months in Terrorist Camp

After Nine Months in Captivity, American Missionary Walks Free as Libya Connection Raises New Questions

By Zagazola Makama

The release of American missionary and pilot Kevin Rideout after more than nine months in captivity has brought an end to one of the Sahel’s most closely watched hostage cases, but the circumstances surrounding his freedom are now raising fresh questions about the networks involved in securing his release.

Rideout, who worked with the Christian missionary organisation Serving in Mission (SIM International), was abducted by three armed men in Niamey, Niger, on October 21, 2025.

SIM International confirmed on August 14, 2026, that Rideout had been released and was in good health and in the care of U.S. authorities. The organisation said he would soon be reunited with his wife, children and extended family.

U.S. President Donald Trump also confirmed that Rideout was back in American custody and welcomed his release. The circumstances of the release, however, remain largely undisclosed.

Rideout was kidnapped outside his home in Niamey while heading towards the airport. The abduction was particularly significant because it occurred inside Niger’s capital, rather than in the remote areas where jihadist groups have traditionally operated. At the time, no armed organisation publicly claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.

The kidnappers were initially believed to have moved him towards Niger’s western Tillabéri region, an area where Islamic State- and al-Qaeda-linked groups operate. Subsequent reporting indicated that Rideout was believed to have been moved into Mali during his captivity. (Al Jazeera⁠)

For months, his whereabouts remained uncertain.

The United States treated his recovery as a priority, with American officials reportedly pursuing efforts to locate him and establish channels that could facilitate his release. The most striking development to emerge after Rideout’s release is the reported involvement of authorities in eastern Libya.

According to a Reuters investigation, five sources said authorities aligned with Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar played a role in securing Rideout’s release and ultimately escorting him through Libya. However, the accounts differ sharply over how the operation was conducted.

Four sources told Reuters that a negotiated deal was reached, with one source saying a ransom was paid.

A senior source within Haftar’s forces gave a completely different account, claiming that an elite Libyan National Army unit carried out an operation inside Mali to secure the hostage before he was flown to Benghazi. Reuters said it was unable to independently confirm the military-operation account. (Reuters⁠)

The conflicting accounts make it difficult to establish precisely how Rideout was freed.
What they do establish is that eastern Libya appears to have played a role in the final stage of his journey to freedom, according to multiple sources cited by Reuters.

The case has also drawn attention to the reported involvement of a Malian intermediary, Cherif Ould Tahar, a businessman described by Reuters sources as having connections to armed groups and smuggling networks.

Two sources reportedly said Tahar helped lead efforts to secure Rideout’s release. It remains unclear what was exchanged for Rideout’s freedom, whether a ransom was paid and, if so, by whom.

Those unanswered questions are particularly important given the growing concern over hostage-taking as a source of revenue for armed groups operating across the Sahel.

Why Benghazi matters

If Rideout was indeed transferred through Benghazi before being handed over to American authorities, the development could have implications beyond the hostage case itself.

Eastern Libya, under Haftar’s influence, has developed security and commercial networks extending deep into the Sahara. Its geographical position provides access to routes linking Libya with southern Libya, Niger, Chad and the wider Sahel. The reported role in Rideout’s release could therefore further strengthen Haftar’s image as a regional security intermediary.

Reuters reported that Haftar has sought to position himself as an important security broker in the wider Sahel while strengthening his relationship with Washington. (Reuters⁠)
That makes the Rideout case more than a simple hostage-release story.

It potentially provides a window into the increasingly complex relationships among armed groups, businessmen, regional authorities and foreign governments operating across the Sahara.

Rideout’s abduction also draw attention to the changing security environment in the region. The fact that an American citizen could be seized in Niamey demonstrates that the threat posed by jihadist and criminal networks is no longer confined to remote borderlands.

The U.S. authorities have confirmed Rideout’s release but have not publicly provided a detailed account of how it was achieved. Reuters reported that the White House and State Department did not comment on the reported role of Haftar’s forces.

After Nine Months in Captivity, American Missionary Walks Free as Libya Connection Raises New Questions