Nigerian troops have repelled coordinated attacks by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters on military positions in Borno and Yobe states, reportedly killing 48 terrorists during intense overnight confrontations.
The operations were carried out by troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, between Thursday night, October 29, and the early hours of Friday, October 30, 2026.
According to military accounts, the attacks targeted a military position in Bitta, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, and the North East Theatre Training School in Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.
Military Deploys Air and Ground Forces
In Bitta, troops reportedly thwarted an assault by insurgents through a coordinated response involving ground forces and air support. The military said the intervention inflicted heavy casualties on the attackers and forced them to abandon their offensive.
A separate engagement took place at the North East Theatre Training School in Buni Yadi, where suspected ISWAP fighters launched an attack that extended into the early hours of Friday.
The military said the confrontation lasted approximately five hours, with troops deploying intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities alongside air and ground assets to repel the attackers.
The coordinated counter-offensive reportedly resulted in the deaths of 48 terrorists across the operations.
Weapons and Ammunition Recovered
Following the engagements, troops recovered a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition believed to have been abandoned by the insurgents.
The recovered items included 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, four general-purpose machine guns, one 60mm mortar and 105 AK-47 magazines.
Two video cameras and thousands of rounds of ammunition were also reportedly recovered.
However, the operations came at a cost to the military, with one soldier killed and two others sustaining minor injuries during the engagements. The injured personnel were receiving medical attention, according to military reports.
Despite the casualties, the military maintained that troop morale remained high and that operations would continue to prevent further attacks and weaken insurgent networks across the North-East.
Continued Pressure on Insurgent Groups
The latest engagements highlight the continuing battle between Nigerian security forces and armed extremist groups operating across the country’s North-East.
ISWAP and other insurgent factions have repeatedly targeted military formations in the region, making the defence of isolated bases and communities a major security challenge.
The military described the latest outcome as a setback for the attackers, citing the reported loss of fighters and the recovery of weapons and ammunition.
Security operations are expected to continue as troops seek to pursue fleeing insurgents and prevent further attacks on military installations and surrounding communities.
