In brief
Nigerian troops claimed to have killed 48 members of the Islamic State West Africa Province after repelling attacks on bases in Borno and Yobe on Oct. 31, 2026, according to Xinhua. The joint task force operating under Operation Hadin Kai used air support to push back the fighters, seized 52 firearms, and suffered one soldier killed and two wounded. Punch reported that the 48 fighters were affiliated with both Boko Haram and ISWAP, a distinction not mentioned in the Xinhua account.
Nigerian troops said they killed 48 suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province after repelling two attacks on military positions in Borno and Yobe states on Oct. 31, 2026, as reported by Xinhua.
The joint task force for Operation Hadin Kai, operating in the northeast, said the assaults on the Bitti community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State and on the Buni Yadi post in Yobe State were thwarted with the help of air assets.
During the counter‑offensive, troops seized 52 firearms from the fighters and reported one soldier was killed with two others wounded, according to the military statement.
Punch newspaper added that the 48 killed were "Boko Haram and ISWAP" terrorists, a claim that appears only in the Punch account and is not mentioned by Xinhua.
