Nigerian troops under Operation Hadin Kai have reportedly neutralised more than 40 ISWAP fighters, including a prominent commander, in a precision air strike on a terrorist enclave in Borno State.
The Air Component of the Joint Task Force, North East, under Operation HADIN KAI, has reportedly neutralised more than 40 fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in a precision air strike in Borno State.
The operation, conducted on October 10, targeted a terrorist enclave at Badu Village, south of Gudumbali in Guzamala Local Government Area of the state.
Capt. Mohammed Goni, spokesman for the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation HADIN KAI, disclosed the development in a statement issued in Maiduguri on Monday, October 12.
According to Goni, the air strike followed credible intelligence reports indicating that ISWAP fighters were assembling to launch coordinated attacks against troops operating within Sector 3’s area of responsibility.
He said the Air Component deployed aerial surveillance to monitor the movements of the fighters around suspected hideouts and logistics facilities before launching a precision strike on a building occupied by the insurgents.
Goni said preliminary human intelligence reports and battle damage assessments indicated that more than 40 fighters, including a prominent ISWAP commander, were neutralised during the operation.
The strike also reportedly destroyed two vehicles and approximately 20 motorcycles allegedly used by the fighters for transportation, logistics and offensive operations.
Further intelligence indicated that the fighters belonged to ISWAP’s Murabitun element, which the military described as a specialised mobile unit responsible for patrols, coordinating attacks and sustaining the group’s activities in the area.
The military spokesman said the destruction of the enclave and its associated operational assets was expected to weaken the group’s operational capabilities and disrupt planned attacks on military positions and surrounding communities.
He added that further assessments were ongoing to establish the full extent of the damage inflicted during the operation.
Goni described the strike as evidence of the effectiveness of intelligence-led and technology-enabled air operations in dismantling terrorist networks and restricting their freedom of movement.
He reaffirmed the Joint Task Force’s commitment to sustained and coordinated air and ground operations to eliminate terrorist threats, protect vulnerable communities and restore lasting peace and stability across Nigeria’s North-East.
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