Nigerian Army troops, backed by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), have successfully repelled a late-night attack by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in Rann, Kala Balge Local Government Area of Borno State.

The attack began around 11:00 p.m. on Thursday, sparking a fierce gun battle that raged for nearly three hours. Despite the intensity, the soldiers of Operation Hadin Kai held their ground, forcing the insurgents into retreat.

As the terrorists attempted to flee, NAF aircraft launched precision airstrikes on their escape routes, killing several more. According to military sources, at least seven insurgents were confirmed dead from the ground fighting alone, with additional casualties from the aerial bombardment.

Security analyst Zagazola Makama, who shared details of the encounter on X, reported that clearance operations are still ongoing to assess the full scale of enemy losses in the areas targeted by the airstrikes.

This latest victory underscores the continued coordination between Nigeria’s ground and air forces in the fight against terrorism in the North-East.