Yobe: Troops kill 48 ISWAP terrorists, repel attacks on military bases 

Yobe: Troops kill 48 ISWAP terrorists, repel attacks on military bases

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have killed at least 48 suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters and repelled coordinated attacks on military positions in Buni Yadi and Bitta, Yobe State.

The attacks began at about 9pm on Thursday, with insurgents launching an assault on troops stationed in Buni Yadi that continued into the early hours of Friday.

Military sources said a combined counter-offensive involving ground forces, fighter aircraft and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets forced the attackers to retreat, leaving behind 48 bodies.

One soldier was killed during the engagement, while two others sustained injuries.

Troops also recovered a large cache of weapons and ammunition, including 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT guns, four general-purpose machine guns, a 60-millimetre mortar and 105 AK-47 magazines.

Thousands of rounds of ammunition and two video cameras were also recovered.

In a separate engagement, troops repelled an attack on a military camp in Bitta, killing scores of ISWAP fighters.

Two soldiers were wounded during the encounter.

Items recovered from the location included two AK-47 rifles, a PKT gun, a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher and three RPG bombs.

Military sources said exploitation operations were ongoing in both locations as troops continued to pursue the fleeing insurgents.

The latest engagements highlight the continuing military operations against ISWAP in the North-East, where insurgents have repeatedly targeted military formations and security positions.