Troops of the Northeast joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have killed 48 ab Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition in Borno and Yobe states.

According to a statement released on Friday in Maiduguri by Captain Mohammed Goni, OPHK spokesman said: “The ISWAP attacks targeted military positions 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, between October 29 and 30.”

In Bitta, troops, supported by air assets, repelled an attempted terrorist assault on the night of October 29, inflicting heavy casualties on the attackers.

In a related operation, troops launched a counterattack against a large concentration of ISWAP fighters who attacked the training school on October 29 and continued into the early hours of October 30.

The approximately five-hour engagement was coordinated by the Theatre Command, integrating intelligence and surveillance capabilities with ground and air operations.

The counteroffensive resulted in the killing of 48 terrorists, while troops recovered 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, four general-purpose machine guns, one 60mm mortar, and 105 AK-47 magazines.

The recovered ammunition include 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.

The military said one soldier was killed during the engagements, while two others sustained minor injuries and were receiving treatment.

Despite the losses, the military said the morale of the troops remained high as they continued operations.

Goni said the successes demonstrated the troops’ combat effectiveness and determination to deny terrorists freedom of action.

The success follows a series of operations by the task force across the theatre.

On October 28, air strikes neutralized 15 terrorists, including two high-profile ISWAP leaders, Abu Musanna and Hassan Abu Huraira, in Kerenoa, Marte Local Government Area of Borno State.

On the same day, the Maritime Component, Naval Base Lake Chad deployed in Baga, neutralized eight terrorists and injured 10 others.

An air interdiction mission also disrupted an improvised explosive device-laying operation, neutralizing eight operatives.