Nigeria’s Air Force has recorded another operational success against insurgent groups after a carefully coordinated air mission killed 10 members of a terrorist faction linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The operation, driven by intelligence-led targeting and sustained aerial monitoring, focused on degrading the terrorists’ mobility and cutting off their ability to regroup.
As gathered on Wednesday, the exercise carried out by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai on January 13 followed confirmed surveillance of ISWAP fighters moving along multiple routes spanning parts of Borno and Yobe states.
According to military sources, unmanned aerial vehicles tracked the terrorists as they assembled with motorcycles and bicycles, prompting authorization for precision air interdiction.
“At least 10 ISWAP elements were neutralized during the strike, based on immediate battle damage assessment,” one security official said.
Providing further insight, another source explained that the fighters were clustered under dense vegetation, possibly to evade detection.
“We identified about 10 terrorists gathered under a large tree, with indications that others were concealed. The strike was executed accurately, and post-impact surveillance showed only one individual escaping the area,” the source said.
Military authorities said the operation underscores an ongoing strategy to maintain pressure on extremist networks in the North-East.
“Our objective is to deny these groups freedom of movement, disrupt their logistics, and safeguard civilian populations,” a source stated.
The Air Force confirmed that coordinated air and ground operations will persist until ISWAP threats in the region are fully eliminated.
