Military Says Borno Air Strike Killed More Than 40 ISWAP Fighters

 

By Atlantic Reports

The Nigerian military says an air strike on an Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) enclave in Borno State killed more than 40 fighters, including a commander, and destroyed vehicles and motorcycles.

The Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI carried out the strike on 10 October at Badu Village, south of Gudumbali in Guzamala Local Government Area, according to a military statement issued on Monday in Maiduguri.

Capt. Mohammed Goni, spokesperson for the Headquarters Joint Task Force, North East, said the operation followed intelligence indicating that ISWAP fighters were assembling to launch coordinated attacks on troops within Sector 3’s area of responsibility.

He said aerial surveillance monitored movements around suspected hideouts and logistics facilities before the air component struck a building where the fighters were believed to be gathered.

According to Goni, preliminary human intelligence and battle damage assessment indicated that more than 40 fighters were killed, including a commander whose identity was not disclosed.

The casualty figure and the identities of those killed have not been independently verified.

Goni said two vehicles and about 20 motorcycles allegedly used for movement, logistics and attacks were also destroyed.

The military attributed the gathering to ISWAP’s Murabitun element, which it described as a mobile unit involved in patrols, coordinating attacks and sustaining the group’s activities in the area.

Goni said the strike would weaken the unit’s operational capacity and disrupt planned attacks on military positions and surrounding communities. That assessment remains the military’s stated expectation, with further evaluation of the damage ongoing.

The statement did not provide information on possible civilian casualties or damage to civilian property.

Goni reaffirmed the task force’s commitment to coordinated air and ground operations aimed at protecting vulnerable communities and tackling armed threats across the North-East.

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