The Nigerian military has reported the killing of more than 40 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, including a prominent commander, in an airstrike on a terrorist enclave in Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State.
The operation, conducted on October 10, targeted the terrorists’ hideout at Badu Village, south of Gudumbali, following intelligence reports that the group was planning coordinated attacks on military formations in the area.
The Air Component of the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation Hadin Kai, carried out the strike after surveillance reportedly confirmed the presence and movements of the fighters around suspected hideouts and logistics facilities.
Captain Mohammed Goni, Military Information Officer at the headquarters of the Joint Task Force, disclosed this in a statement issued in Maiduguri on Monday.
According to him, the operation was launched after credible intelligence indicated that ISWAP fighters were assembling to attack troops operating within Sector 3 of the military operation’s area of responsibility.
He said aerial surveillance enabled the military to identify a building occupied by the terrorists, which was subsequently targeted in a precision airstrike.
Preliminary human intelligence and battle damage assessments indicated that more than 40 fighters were killed, including a prominent ISWAP commander known as a Qaid.
The military also reported that two vehicles and approximately 20 motorcycles used by the group for transportation, logistics and offensive operations were destroyed during the strike.
It said the destruction of the fighters’ hideout and mobility assets had weakened the group’s operational capacity and disrupted its alleged plans to attack military positions and surrounding communities.
Further intelligence indicated that the targeted fighters belonged to ISWAP’s Murabitun element, a specialised mobile unit reportedly responsible for conducting patrols, coordinating attacks and sustaining the group’s activities in the area.
The military described the operation as a setback to the group’s capacity to launch attacks and maintain its operations in the Lake Chad region.
However, it said further assessments were ongoing to establish the full extent of the damage caused by the airstrike.
Goni said the operation demonstrated the importance of intelligence gathering, aerial surveillance and coordinated military action in disrupting terrorist networks and restricting their movements.
He added that troops under Operation Hadin Kai would continue coordinated air and ground operations to eliminate terrorist threats, protect vulnerable communities and strengthen security across the North-East.
The military reiterated its commitment to restoring lasting peace and stability in the region through sustained operations against insurgent groups.