Tuesday, 26 August, 2025
Nigeria’s Air Force confirmed that it killed at least 35 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in precision air strikes near the Cameroon border on Saturday. Acting on intelligence indicating an imminent attack on ground troops, the strikes targeted four assembly points—neutralising the threat and allowing security forces to restore communication and secure the area swiftly, according to Air Force spokesperson Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame.
The operation forms part of a broader, intensified campaign under Operation Hadin Kai. This week, the military reported having killed a total of 592 armed militia members in Borno State over the past eight months—a figure that surpasses the operational gains achieved in 2024. he Air Force has concurrently dismantled over 200 technical vehicles and 166 logistics hubs, while conducting nearly 800 combat sorties and accruing more than 1,500 operational flight hours.
Additional field accounts from Borno State’s Kumshe region reveal that the insurgents, attempting a pre-dawn assault, were met with fierce ground resistance. More than 35 terrorists were eliminated in the ensuing clash, though some manage to evacuate casualties, retreating towards the Zangeri camp in Gulumba Gana. In the exchange, the military suffered one casualty and two wounded personnel.
These latest gains underscore a sharpened and more coordinated strategy blending intelligence-led air power with ground manoeuvres. Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff, commend.ed the professionalism of aircrew and reiterated the Air Force’s resolve to sustain aggressive, intelligence-driven operations against militant cells.
The ongoing campaign spans key flashpoints including Gonori, Rann, Dikwa, Damboa, Azir, Mallam Fatori—zones long plagued by Boko Haram and ISWAP violence. The escalating offensive reflects Nigeria’s sharper focus on dismantling insurgent networks, degrading their capabilities, and reclaiming territories in the northeast.
Still, analysts caution that while operational figures present strides, challenges remain. A senior security analyst from SBM Intelligence noted that battlefield gains risk being undercut by persistent insurgent resilience and renewed offensives, particularly from Boko Haram splinter factions.
As Nigeria battles multiple threats—from Boko Haram and ISWAP to banditry and separatist unrest—the intensification of air-ground synergy in Borno signals a pivotal shift in its counterinsurgency efforts. But whether this recent momentum can be sustained—and translate into enduring peace—remains the critical question.
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Nigeria’s Air Force confirmed that it killed at least 35 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in precision air strikes near the Cameroon border on Saturday. Acting on intelligence indicating an imminent attack on ground troops, the strikes targeted four assembly points—neutralising the threat and allowing security forces to restore communication and secure the area swiftly, according to Air Force spokesperson Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame.
The operation forms part of a broader, intensified campaign under Operation Hadin Kai. This week, the military reported having killed a total of 592 armed militia members in Borno State over the past eight months—a figure that surpasses the operational gains achieved in 2024. he Air Force has concurrently dismantled over 200 technical vehicles and 166 logistics hubs, while conducting nearly 800 combat sorties and accruing more than 1,500 operational flight hours.
Additional field accounts from Borno State’s Kumshe region reveal that the insurgents, attempting a pre-dawn assault, were met with fierce ground resistance. More than 35 terrorists were eliminated in the ensuing clash, though some manage to evacuate casualties, retreating towards the Zangeri camp in Gulumba Gana. In the exchange, the military suffered one casualty and two wounded personnel.
These latest gains underscore a sharpened and more coordinated strategy blending intelligence-led air power with ground manoeuvres. Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff, commend.ed the professionalism of aircrew and reiterated the Air Force’s resolve to sustain aggressive, intelligence-driven operations against militant cells.
The ongoing campaign spans key flashpoints including Gonori, Rann, Dikwa, Damboa, Azir, Mallam Fatori—zones long plagued by Boko Haram and ISWAP violence. The escalating offensive reflects Nigeria’s sharper focus on dismantling insurgent networks, degrading their capabilities, and reclaiming territories in the northeast.
Still, analysts caution that while operational figures present strides, challenges remain. A senior security analyst from SBM Intelligence noted that battlefield gains risk being undercut by persistent insurgent resilience and renewed offensives, particularly from Boko Haram splinter factions.
As Nigeria battles multiple threats—from Boko Haram and ISWAP to banditry and separatist unrest—the intensification of air-ground synergy in Borno signals a pivotal shift in its counterinsurgency efforts. But whether this recent momentum can be sustained—and translate into enduring peace—remains the critical question.
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