A joint air operation involving the Nigerian military and the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has reportedly killed 21 fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Borno state.
The operation, said to have been carried out on Saturday in Arege, Kukawa local government area, followed intelligence reports and aerial surveillance that confirmed the presence of suspected insurgents in the area.
According to counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama, the air strike targeted a camp where ISWAP fighters were allegedly planning attacks within the Lake Chad region.
Sources familiar with the operation said the precision strike eliminated 21 insurgents and dealt a significant blow to the group’s operational capacity.
“The precision engagement resulted in the elimination of 21 terrorists and caused significant disruption to the operational capabilities of the criminal elements,” the publication quoted sources as saying.
The report added that the mission formed part of ongoing coordinated efforts between Nigerian security forces and international partners aimed at dismantling terrorist networks, destroying insurgent hideouts and limiting the activities of armed groups in the North-East.
Military sources described the operation as intelligence-driven and carefully executed, noting that it reflected growing cooperation between Nigeria and its foreign allies in the fight against terrorism.
The latest strike is expected to further weaken insurgent activities around the Lake Chad Basin, where remnants of terrorist groups have continued attempts to regroup and launch attacks on communities.
The development comes weeks after a series of joint Nigeria-US air operations reportedly killed more than 20 ISWAP fighters in Metele, also in Borno State.
Security authorities have continued to intensify offensive operations across the North-East as part of efforts to degrade the capabilities of terrorist groups operating in the region
