NIGERIAN troops have killed 48 suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters and recovered 52 firearms during fierce engagements in Borno and Yobe.

The operations, conducted by troops of the Joint Task Force, North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, involved repelling attacks on military positions in Bitta and Natt Buni Yadi between October 29 and 30.

The Acting Media Information Officer of the task force, Mohammed Goni, a captain, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Goni said troops repelled an attempted terrorist assault on their position in Bitta on the night of October 29 through a coordinated response involving ground forces and air support.

He said troops also launched a counter-offensive against a large concentration of ISWAP fighters who attacked Natt Buni Yadi from October 29 into the early hours of October 30.

According to him, the five-hour engagement was coordinated by the Theatre Command, with intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities integrated with air and ground assets.

The operation resulted in 48 terrorists being killed, while troops recovered 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, four general-purpose machine guns and one 60mm mortar.

Other recovered items included 105 AK-47 magazines, two video cameras and assorted ammunition.

The ammunition comprised 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.

However, Goni said one soldier was killed during the engagements, while two others sustained minor injuries and were responding to treatment.

He said troops’ morale remained high as operations continued to deny terrorists freedom of action across the theatre.

The task force described the engagements as a significant setback to the operational capabilities of the insurgents. (NAN)