At least 21 militants from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have been killed in a joint US-Nigeria air strike in Borno State, military sources have confirmed.
The operation, conducted on Saturday in Arege, Kukawa Local Government Area, followed intelligence and surveillance that confirmed the presence of ISWAP fighters in the region, according to counter-insurgency platform Zagazola Makama.
The precision strike targeted a terrorist camp where insurgents were allegedly planning attacks around the Lake Chad region. “The engagement resulted in the elimination of 21 terrorists and caused significant disruption to the operational capabilities of the criminal elements,” Makama reported.
Military authorities described the strike as “intelligence-driven” and “carefully executed”. Sources added that the operation forms part of sustained US-Nigeria coordinated efforts to degrade terrorist networks, destroy sanctuaries, and deny insurgents freedom of action across the North-East theatre.
The mission is expected to further weaken terrorist activities around the Lake Chad Basin, where remnants of militant groups continue attempting to regroup and launch attacks on isolated communities.
The latest action follows a series of joint US-Nigeria air strikes in Metele, Borno, last month, which killed more than 20 ISIS and ISWAP fighters.