In brief
Nigerian troops claimed to have killed 48 members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) after repelling attacks on military positions in Borno and Yobe states. The Joint Task Force for Operation Hadin Kai reported the engagements in Bitta and Buni Yadi, seizing 52 firearms and sustaining one fatality among soldiers. Multiple outlets, including Xinhua, Punch and Westernpost, reported the same figures, though the Facebook post could not be verified.
Nigerian troops reportedly killed 48 members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) after repelling coordinated attacks on military positions in Borno and Yobe states, according to a statement by Mohammed Goni, spokesman for the joint task force for Operation Hadin Kai, and an accompanying report by Xinhua.
Goni said in a statement on Friday that troops in Bitta, a community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, and Buni Yadi in Yobe State faced assaults late Thursday and early Friday. The attacks were repelled by a coordinated response that included air support, Goni added.
Punch reported that the same 48 fighters were identified as Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists, saying the soldiers were "killed" during the counter‑offensive launched from Thursday night into the early hours of Friday. The report confirmed the same casualty figures for the soldiers, noting one killed and two wounded.
Both Xinhua and Punch cited the seizure of 52 firearms from the combatants. The Joint Task Force said it would continue operations to degrade the operational capabilities of ISWAP and combat their recruitment and propaganda efforts.
A Facebook post attributed to the Kukuru Radio station also mentioned the kills and the recovery of firearms, though the post could not be accessed for verification at the time of reporting.
Westernpost, a Nigeria‑based news outlet, echoed the numbers, stating that troops had "killed 48 Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters" during the Borno and Yobe operations. The post also confirmed the seizure of arms.
