Nigeria Intensifies Air Campaign Against ISWAP, Eight Fighters Killed in Borno
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have neutralised eight suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in an air operation in Borno State, according to security sources.
The strike was conducted along the Bama–Maiduguri axis, where military aircraft reportedly detected insurgent activity at a location previously identified as an ISWAP training area. The operation followed observations of muzzle flashes from the ground, prompting the aircraft to conduct reconnaissance and engage the suspected fighters.
According to reports, the air component subsequently carried out sustained strikes, killing eight suspected ISWAP fighters, while others reportedly escaped into surrounding bush.
The operation forms part of the military’s intensified campaign against ISWAP across Borno, particularly around the Lake Chad Basin, Sambisa Forest and major military supply routes.
The latest strike follows several significant air operations against ISWAP positions in Borno in recent months.
In July, an NAF drone strike in Marte Local Government Area reportedly killed at least 15 suspected ISWAP fighters after intelligence and surveillance identified insurgents and concealed vehicles around KLA Balia.
Earlier in June, military air operations around Cross Kauwa and Ali Sherifti were also reported to have killed at least nine suspected ISWAP fighters and destroyed several vehicles.
The military has increasingly relied on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) to identify terrorist movements before deploying air assets, while ground forces maintain pressure on insurgent positions.
In one of the largest reported engagements this year, troops and air assets under Operation Hadin Kai defeated an ISWAP attack on a military base at Mandaragirau in Borno in March. The military said about 38 terrorists were neutralised, although only eight bodies were recovered at the immediate engagement area, with intelligence from local residents indicating additional casualties.
The latest operation comes amid sustained military pressure on ISWAP’s leadership, logistics and movement networks in northeastern Nigeria.
In August, the military said intelligence recovered from a camcorder seized after a failed ISWAP infiltration attempt at Cross Kauwa helped identify foreign facilitators linked to the group, including a Palestinian described as a trainer and a Moroccan identified as a medical doctor.
The developments point to the broader challenge facing Nigeria’s counter-insurgency campaign: while airstrikes have disrupted terrorist camps, commanders and logistics networks, ISWAP continues to operate across remote areas of Borno and the wider Lake Chad Basin.
Military authorities have continued to combine airstrikes, ground offensives, intelligence operations and surveillance in an effort to prevent the group from regrouping and launching attacks against military positions and civilian communities.
