More than 25 fighters belonging to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have been killed after Nigerian troops repelled a coordinated attack in Borno State, the military says.
The attack took place in Kukawa Local Government Area, where ISWAP fighters launched what the military described as a “coordinated multi-directional assault” on troops.
Mohammed Goni, the acting military information officer at the headquarters of the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, said in a statement on Wednesday that the troops fought back against the attackers.
He said more than 25 ISWAP fighters were killed during the confrontation, while some soldiers also lost their lives.
The military did not immediately disclose the exact number of soldiers killed or provide further details about the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
The latest fighting comes as Nigerian security forces continue operations against jihadist groups in the north-east, particularly across Borno State, which has been at the centre of the insurgency for more than a decade.
ISWAP, which emerged from Boko Haram, remains one of the main armed groups operating in the region and has carried out attacks against military and civilian targets.
The Nigerian Army has continued to conduct counter-insurgency operations under Operation Hadin Kai, aimed at disrupting the activities of ISWAP and Boko Haram fighters.
The military’s account of the latest confrontation could not immediately be independently verified.
