At Least 50 ISWAP Fighters and Two Soldiers Killed in Northeast Nigeria Ambush

Nigerian army soldiers killed no fewer than 50 ISWAP terrorists in a late-night ambush on Thursday after the militants launched a mass attack on a military position. m. under the cover of darkness, with the terrorists first striking from the western flank before pushing additional forces from the southern flank along the Ganinga Junction axis.

They later attacked from the south-western flank in an attempt to encircle troops, according to a Nigerian army spokesman. Troops held their ground with exceptional discipline and tactical composure. They employed indirect fires to attrit the enemy while executing an offensive-defensive battle that systematically degraded the assault from all axes.

No part of the camp was breached during the engagement, Nigerian army chiefs said. The terrorists retreated in confusion while evacuating the area, leaving a trail of blood in their wake in some cases. Ten bodies were found nearby after the battle.

Intelligence reports say another 20 bodies were scattered across bushes in neighbouring areas including Gashua, Asare and Kamuya. A large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the fleeing remnants of ISWAP terrorists. The haul included eight AK-47 rifles, two general-purpose machine guns, two rocket-propelled grenade tubes, five RPG bombs and three improvised explosive device canisters along with ammunition.

"The volume and variety of weapons and ordnance recovered further expose the scale of the terrorists' offensive intent and the totality of their failure," the army stated. Two soldiers died in the operation. Injured personnel are stable and all are receiving appropriate medical attention.

ISWAP, which broke off from Boko Haram, seeks to impose Sharia on individuals. Last month, Islamic State claimed responsibility for killing dozens of Christians and torching a church in a terrorist attack in Nigeria. The attack in northeast Nigeria killed at least 29 people, with a group of young people assembling at a football pitch targeted.

The State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri said the attackers operated for several hours, killing dozens of residents, burning places of worship, and destroying property, including motorcycles. He said the attack would not go unpunished and vowed to heighten security operations in the region. The attack occurred in Adamawa State, which borders Cameroon.

One local, Joshua Usman, said the dead included youths, including some ladies that were watching football. Since 2009, violence led by the Islamic State and Boko Haram has displaced millions and resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, the United Nations confirmed. Violence in the area has spread to neighbouring Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

GB News reported the details of the army operation and its aftermath.