Troops Kill 48 ISWAP Fighters In Borno, Yobe Battles, Recover 42 AK-47 Rifles, Machine Guns
Daud Olatunji
Nigerian troops have killed 48 suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters during separate counter-terrorism operations in Borno and Yobe states, recovering a cache of weapons and ammunition.
The operations, conducted by troops of the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation Hadin Kai, followed coordinated attacks by suspected terrorists on military positions in Bitta, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, and Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.
The military disclosed that the engagements began on the night of October 29 and continued into the early hours of Friday, October 30, 2026.
The Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters of Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
According to him, troops successfully repelled an attempted terrorist assault in Bitta through a coordinated military response involving ground forces and air support.
He said the combined operation overwhelmed the attackers, disrupted their offensive plans and inflicted heavy casualties on the insurgents.
Goni added that troops subsequently launched a counter-offensive against a large concentration of ISWAP fighters who attacked NETTS Buni Yadi in Yobe State.
He explained that the engagement lasted approximately five hours and was coordinated by the Theatre Command, using Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance capabilities alongside air and ground assets.
The military spokesman said the operation resulted in the killing of 48 suspected terrorists and the recovery of a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition.
Items recovered from the insurgents included 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, four General Purpose Machine Guns, one 60mm mortar, 105 AK-47 magazines and two video cameras.
The troops also recovered 30 rounds of 12.7mm armour-piercing incendiary ammunition, 2,738 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 223 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition and 2,054 rounds of PKT ammunition.
However, the military confirmed that one soldier was killed during the encounters, while two others sustained minor injuries and were receiving medical attention.
The military said the troops remained in high spirits and were continuing operations to dismantle terrorist networks and prevent further attacks across the North-East.
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