Over 150 terrorists surrender as military pressure intensifies
More than 150 terrorists, including commanders, fighters and affiliates, have surrendered to troops operating under Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East within the past week, the military said on Monday.
The latest figure represents a sharp increase from the more than 50 terrorists who reportedly surrendered during the preceding week, suggesting growing pressure on insurgent networks as military operations intensify across the region.
More than 150 terrorists, including commanders, fighters and affiliates, have surrendered to troops operating under Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East within the past week, the military said on Monday.
The latest figure represents a sharp increase from the more than 50 terrorists who reportedly surrendered during the preceding week, suggesting growing pressure on insurgent networks as military operations intensify across the region.
Captain Mohammed Goni, Acting Military Information Officer for the theatre command, attributed the development to sustained intelligence-led operations, intensified military action and efforts aimed at persuading members of terrorist groups to abandon the insurgency.
According to Goni, the increased defections indicate that terrorist groups are facing growing difficulties in moving personnel, obtaining supplies and maintaining their positions in areas where they have operated.
He said some of those who surrendered also handed over weapons and ammunition, describing the development as further evidence of the pressure being exerted on the groups.
The military’s approach, he explained, goes beyond battlefield operations. It combines intelligence gathering and kinetic action with strategic communication, civil-military engagement and other measures intended to weaken terrorist support networks and encourage fighters to disengage.
Goni said strategic communication was being used to reach members of the groups who were considering surrender, while also making clear the consequences of continuing to participate in terrorist activities.
The surrendered individuals are being screened and documented, with the military saying they are being handled in accordance with established procedures and applicable laws.
The latest wave of surrender comes amid continuing military operations against terrorist groups in the North-East, where insurgency has persisted for more than a decade despite repeated security offensives.
Goni said the theatre command would maintain the pressure while encouraging further defections and disrupting the networks that facilitate recruitment, logistics and the continued operation of terrorist groups.
He also commended troops for their resilience and discipline, urging them to sustain operations aimed at restricting the terrorists’ freedom of movement and protecting civilian communities. The military said its broader objective remained the disruption of terrorist capabilities and support structures while creating conditions for the restoration of security and normal life across the North-East.
