In brief
Nigerian forces claim 48 ISWAP militants were killed during repelled attacks in Borno and Yobe, with one soldier fatality and two wounded. The operation also yielded 52 firearms and continues the military’s Operation Hadin Kai, part of a broader effort to degrade terrorist capabilities in the Lake Chad basin.
In a coordinated counter‑offensive on Friday, Nigerian army units say they killed at least 48 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters after repelling attacks on positions in Borno and Yobe states, a claim reported by Xinhua and reiterated in a local news outlet.
According to spokesperson Mohammed Goni of the Joint Task Force for Operation Hadin Kai, the assaults targeting the military outpost in Bitta, a community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno, and the post in Buni Yadi in Yobe State began late Thursday night and continued into early Friday. The Nigerian forces, assisted by air assets, allegedly brought the attacks to a halt and engaged the militants in counter‑strikes.
Goni’s statement emphasized the coordinated nature of the response, noting that the troops “thwarted an attempted attack – and subsequently launched a counter‑offensive against a large concentration of ISWAP fighters.” He added that the military would persist in operations aimed at degrading terrorist operational capabilities and limiting recruitment and propaganda.
During the counter‑offensive, a single Nigerian soldier was reported killed and two others wounded, according to the same military source. The casualty figure was omitted by the local newspaper, which only cited the broader operation’s success.
Troops seized 52 firearms from the militants’ cache, a point confirmed by Xinhua and echoed in the article from Punch. That same report noted the broader tactical advantage gained by capturing the weapons, potentially neutralizing future threats.
Context of Operation Hadin Kai and ISWAP’s Evolution
Operation Hadin Kai, a joint task force campaign launched by the Nigerian military in the northeast, has been tackling insurgent groups in the region for several years. The force’s mandate includes repelling attacks on military installations and curtailing the growth of terrorist cells. The June 2025 expansion of the operation into Yobe and Borno states marked a renewed focus on the most volatile districts.
ISWAP, an off‑shoot of Boko Haram, has been increasingly active in the Lake Chad Basin, collaborating with Boko Haram factions to expand their reach into neighboring Chad, Niger, and Cameroon. The group’s recent engagements have drawn international attention to the cross‑border dynamics of insurgency in the region.
Both Xinhua and Punch highlighted that ISWAP’s strategy involves blending conventional attacks with propaganda efforts designed to attract recruits, a tactic the Nigerian military seeks to dismantle through these relentless operations. The seized arms and disrupted attacks are viewed by officials as a win against the insurgents’ operational capabilities.
Multiple sources—including a Facebook post from the Kukuku Radio outlet, a brief mention by Western Post, and the same Xinhua and Punch report—report the same casualty and equipment figures, bolstering the credibility of the military’s account. None of the outlets offer conflicting numbers or accounts, leaving the reported figures consistent across the media.
Military officials, meanwhile, promise ongoing strikes against ISWAP and Boko Haram cells as part of a sustained campaign that seeks to alter the insurgents’ strategic calculus. In the coming weeks, the Joint Task Force is expected to conduct further operations in the Borno and Yobe regions as they work to tighten security and protect civilian populations from ongoing threats.
