Isis terrorists behind Christian persecution attacks killed in late-night ambush as Nigerian army seize weapons

Isis terrorists behind a series of Christian persecution attacks have been killed in a late-night ambush carried out by soldiers in Nigeria.

The Nigerian army confirmed that "no fewer than 50 terrorists" were neutralised following a mass military operation against the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Thursday.

At around 2am, an attack by the terrorists was launched "under the cover of darkness" and was met with "devastating firepower, tactical brilliance and resolute determination by troops".

They added a "large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the fleeing remnants".

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Some eight AK-47 rifles, two general-purpose machine guns, two rocket-propelled grenade tubes and five RPG bombs were recovered.

The weapons were joined with a load of ammunition, including three improvised explosive device canisters.

"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 added.

"The terrorists initially launched their assault from the western flank before pushing additional forces from the southern flank along the Ganinga Junction axis and later from the south-western flank in a desperate attempt to encircle our troops," a spokesman recounted.

"However, troops held their ground with exceptional discipline and tactical composure, employing indirect fires to attrit the enemy while executing an offensive-defensive battle that systematically degraded and dismantled the assault from all axes."

The terrorists then "retreated in confusion" while they evacuated the area, leaving a trail of blood in their wake in some cases.

"At no point was any part of the camp breached, as the integrity of the location remained fully intact throughout the engagement," Nigerian army chiefs added.

Some 10 bodies were found nearby, while intelligence reports say that another 20 were scattered across bushes in neighbouring areas, including Gashua, Asare and Kamuya.

Injured personnel are stable and all are receiving appropriate medical attention. However, two soldiers died in the operation.

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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 the country's northeast killed at least 29 people, with a group of young people assembling at a football pitch was 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."

However, 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 – a hotspot for terrorist violence.

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 as well.

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