Troops Repel ISWAP Assault In Yobe, Kill Over 20 Fighters

Troops under the Joint Task Force North-East, operating as part of Operation HADIN KAI, have successfully pushed back a series of attacks by suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Yobe State, killing more than 20 insurgents.Nigerian Political Analysis

The attempted assault targeted troops stationed in Goniri, within Sector 2 of the operation. The attacks began late on Monday night, March 9, and continued into the early hours of Tuesday, March 10, 2026.

Details of the incident were disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, Lt. Col. Sani Uba.

According to the statement, the insurgents launched coordinated offensives from different directions in what appeared to be an attempt to surround the troops’ position.

“Troops of the Joint Task Force (North-East), deployed in Goniri under Sector 2 of Operation HADIN KAI, have successfully foiled coordinated attacks launched by ISWAP terrorists on their location in Goniri, Yobe State, killing over 20 terrorists,” Uba said.

“The attacks occurred from the night of Monday, March 9, 2026, through the early hours of Tuesday, March 10, 2026, when the troops came under heavy assault from multiple directions.”

Uba explained that surveillance systems first detected the insurgents as they advanced simultaneously from Goniri village and the Ngamdu Junction axis.

“The terrorists were initially detected through surveillance assets advancing simultaneously from Goniri village and the Ngamdu Junction axis in an apparent attempt to encircle the military location,” he added.

He said the troops responded quickly with coordinated defensive tactics and superior firepower. Reinforcements were deployed to support the soldiers on the ground, while the air component of the operation delivered close air support that significantly weakened the attackers.

“During the intense firefight, the terrorists were overwhelmed and forced to retreat in disarray, suffering heavy casualties. Over 20 terrorists were neutralised, including a senior terrorist commander identified as Abu Yusu, the Munzir of Dursula,” the statement said.

Military personnel also recovered several weapons and other items abandoned by the fleeing insurgents. These included machine guns, AK-47 rifles, improvised explosive devices, bombs and various rounds of ammunition.

The spokesman further disclosed that troops carried out follow-up clearance patrols in Gwaigomari, located within the Timbuktu Triangle. During the operation, additional bodies of insurgents were discovered during patrols that continued until the early hours of Wednesday, March 11.

He added that soldiers who sustained injuries during the battle had been evacuated to medical facilities and were responding well to treatment.

“The location remains firmly under the control of Operation HADIN KAI troops,” he said.

Uba noted that ground forces, backed by air support, were continuing with aggressive follow-up operations, including search and clearance missions in neighbouring communities where wounded insurgents were believed to have escaped.

He reaffirmed the commitment of Operation HADIN KAI to defeating insurgency and restoring lasting peace to the North-East region.