, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have dealt a major blow to Islamic State West Africa Province){kind=link}
By Ahmed Liman Kingimi, Maiduguri
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have dealt a major blow to Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists, foiling coordinated attacks on military positions in Borno and Yobe States.
The terrorists attempted to attack troops in Bitta, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State and the North East Theatre Training School (NETTS), Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, between 29 and 30 October 2026.
In a statement on 30 October 2026, the Acting Media Information Officer, Captain Mohammed Goni, said troops decisively disorganised an attempted assault in Bitta on the night of 29 October.
“The combined response of ground troops and air support overwhelmed the attackers, thwarting their plan and inflicting heavy casualties,” the statement said.
In a related development, troops launched a successful counter-attack against a large concentration of ISWAP fighters who attacked NETTS Buni Yadi on 29 October into the early hours of 30 October.
The approximately five-hour engagement was coordinated by the Theatre Command, with effective integration of Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities alongside air and ground assets.
“The decisive counter-offensive resulted in 48 terrorists killed, with troops recovering a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition,” Captain Goni said.
Items recovered include 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, four General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), one 60mm mortar, 105 AK-47 magazines and two video cameras.
Also recovered were 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 engagements recorded one soldier who paid the supreme sacrifice, while two others who sustained minor injuries are responding to treatment.
“The morale of troops remains high as they sustain operations against terrorist elements across the theatre,” the statement added.
According to OPHK, the operational successes further demonstrate troops’ combat effectiveness, operational coordination and determination to deny terrorists freedom of action, noting that the heavy losses and recovery of weapons constitute another significant setback to insurgents’ operational capabilities.
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