ISWAP buries ’26 members killed in airstrikes’ in Borno

The Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Wednesday reportedly buried 26 of its members in Ngala LGA of Borno state.

According to Zagazola Makama, a publication focused on the Lake Chad region, the ISWAP members were killed on September 9 by co-ordinated air strikes carried out by the Nigerian military.

The strikes were said to have been conducted  on two camps of the insurgents in Yarwa Kuwa and Sigir areas in Borno.

A source was quoted to have said nine ISWAP members were killed in an airstrike in Sigir, while in another airstrike at Yarwa Kura, 17 ISWAP members were killed.

“The combat aircraft attacked a gathering of the terrorists in Sigir, eliminating 9 of them instantly while a building which was converted to a mosque and a storage facility was destroyed,” the source was quoted as saying.

“In another airstrike conducted at Yarwa Kura, 17 terrorists were neuralised while many others were wounded.

“Both locations had earlier indicated large presence of the adversaries after an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

“But as the jihadists continue to relocate from one hideout to another, the Air force, operating in concert with surface forces, will sustain its offensives against them until they are no more.”

ISWAP had broken out of Boko Haram over leadership disagreement.

In the recent weeks, the military has continued to intensify efforts in fighting the insurgents.