Over 40 ISWAP terrorists killed in fresh Borno airstrike

THE Air Component of the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) says it has neutralised more than 40 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in a precision air strike in Borno.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reported that the operation, conducted on October 10, targeted a terrorist enclave at Badu village, south of Gudumbali, in Guzamala Local Government Area of the state.

Spokesman for OPHK, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Maiduguri.

He said the operation followed credible intelligence reports indicating ISWAP fighters were assembling to launch coordinated attacks on troops operating within Sector 3’s area of responsibility.

Goni said the air component swiftly deployed aerial surveillance to monitor terrorist movements around suspected hideouts and logistics facilities before launching precision strike on a building occupied by the fighters.

According to him, preliminary human intelligence and battle damage assessment indicated that more than 40 terrorists, including a prominent ISWAP commander, were killed during the operation.

He added that two vehicles and about 20 motorcycles, used by the terrorists for mobility, logistics and offensive operations, were also destroyed.

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Goni noted further that intelligence revealed the fighters belonged to ISWAP’s Murabitun element, a specialised mobile unit responsible for patrols, coordinating attacks and sustaining terrorist activities in the area.

He explained that the destruction of the enclave and associated operational assets would significantly weaken the group’s operational capacity and disrupt its planned attacks on military positions and surrounding communities.

The spokesman said assessment was ongoing to determine the full extent of the damage inflicted on the terrorists.

He described the operation as evidence of the effectiveness of intelligence-led and technology-enabled air operations in dismantling terrorist networks and restricting their freedom of action.

The OPHK spokesperson reaffirmed the task force’s commitment to sustained, coordinated air and ground operations to eliminate terrorist threats, protect vulnerable communities and restore lasting peace and stability across the North-East.