Joint Nigeria-US airstrike kills 21 ISWAP fighters in Borno — Report

At least 21 suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province were reportedly killed in a joint airstrike carried out by the Nigerian military and the United States Africa Command in Arege, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

According to counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama, the operation was conducted on Saturday after intelligence gathering and aerial surveillance reportedly confirmed the presence of ISWAP fighters in the area.

The report said the airstrike targeted a terrorist camp where insurgents were allegedly planning attacks within the Lake Chad region.

Quoting security sources, the publication stated that the precision strike resulted in the elimination of 21 terrorists and significantly disrupted the group’s operational capacity.

“The precision engagement resulted in the elimination of 21 terrorists and caused significant disruption to the operational capabilities of the criminal elements,” the report quoted sources as saying.

The operation was said to be part of ongoing security cooperation between Nigerian forces and US AFRICOM aimed at degrading terrorist networks, destroying their hideouts and limiting their operational freedom across the North-East.

According to the report, military authorities described the mission as intelligence-driven and carefully executed, highlighting the growing collaboration between Nigeria and international partners in counter-terrorism efforts.

The strike is expected to further weaken insurgent activities around the Lake Chad Basin, where remnants of terrorist groups have continued attempts to regroup and launch attacks on vulnerable communities.

The reported operation comes weeks after another series of joint Nigeria-US airstrikes allegedly killed more than 20 suspected ISIS/ISWAP fighters in Metele, Borno State.

As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official statement from the Nigerian military or US AFRICOM confirming the casualty figures.