Military Coordinated Airstrikes Deal Heavy Blow to ISWAP, Eliminate 23 Terrorists in Borno
Military Coordinated Airstrikes Deal Heavy Blow to ISWAP, Eliminate 23 Terrorists in Borno
The Nigerian military has intensified its aerial offensive against the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), killing no fewer than 23 suspected terrorists in separate intelligence-led air operations conducted in Borno State.
The coordinated strikes, carried out under Operation HADIN KAI, targeted terrorist enclaves in Marte Local Government Area and along the Bama-Maiduguri axis as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle insurgent networks and secure strategic locations across the North-East.
According to intelligence sources, the first operation was conducted at about 5:35 a.m. on July 21 in KLA Balia, Marte LGA, following credible intelligence on the presence of ISWAP fighters in the area.
An Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform, codenamed Guardian, was deployed and identified three vehicles concealed at separate hideouts, alongside several structures occupied by suspected terrorists.
The surveillance platform reportedly spotted five insurgents taking cover beneath a tree before executing a precision drone strike that eliminated the visible targets. The attack also triggered secondary explosions, with military assessments estimating that about 15 terrorists were killed in the operation.
A follow-up strike aimed at destroying the concealed vehicles, however, was unsuccessful due to a malfunction in the drone’s laser targeting system, which prevented accurate target designation.
Military sources said surveillance of the area remains ongoing, with plans for further operations to eliminate surviving insurgents and destroy the remaining vehicles.
In a separate operation at about 11:00 p.m. on July 22, a Nigerian Air Force helicopter gunship conducted a night combat mission along the Main Supply Route linking Bama, the University of Maiduguri and Maiduguri.
The aircraft carried out surveillance over a location previously identified through intelligence as an ISWAP training ground after detecting muzzle flashes from the area.
To verify the presence of insurgents, the crew fired probing shots into the suspected hideout, prompting armed terrorists to return fire and confirm their position.
The helicopter subsequently launched a sustained aerial assault, killing eight suspected ISWAP fighters, while the surviving insurgents fled into nearby bushes.
Military sources described both operations as significant successes, noting that they disrupted terrorist activities, degraded insurgent capabilities and reinforced security along critical supply routes in the North-East.
The operations form part of the ongoing air interdiction campaign under Operation HADIN KAI, which combines intelligence, surveillance and precision airpower to dismantle terrorist camps, disrupt logistics and deny insurgents freedom of movement across the Lake Chad region and other parts of the theatre.
Security sources said the successful missions underscore the growing effectiveness of intelligence-driven air operations, adding that the military would continue integrating aerial and ground offensives to sustain pressure on ISWAP and other terrorist groups operating in the region.
By TimesNG