‘Several terrorists’ killed as NAF air strike hits ‘ISWAP hideout’ in Borno

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has “launched devastating air strikes” on a major Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) hideout in the Chillaria area of Borno state.

The strike was conducted through the air component of Operation Hadin Kai.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, the attack took place at a notorious stronghold within the Timbuktu Triangle.

The publication cited intelligence sources as saying NAF fighter jets, including the A-29 Super Tucano, trailed the terrorists to their concealed location, where they were observed regrouping under a dense canopy of trees and thick vegetation. 

Sources told Makama that the strikes were unleashed with accuracy, killing scores of the terrorists and leaving the survivors in disarray.

A source told Makama that the operation was a resounding success, as aerial surveillance footage showed multiple impact points and secondary explosions which indicated that the insurgents were also harbouring weapons and explosives at the location.

“The terrorists thought they could hide under the thick foliage, but our Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms picked them up,” a source told Makama.

“The moment we confirmed their presence, the air strikes were initiated, and the results were decisive. Dozens of terrorists were neutralized, while the few who survived fled in complete disarray.

“This latest strike reinforces NAF’s sustained offensive against ISWAP remnants within the Lake Chad region and Timbuktu Triangle, a known terrorist enclave as part of Operation Desert Sanity 4.

“With continuous air dominance, the military remains resolved in ensuring that no safe haven exists for insurgents plotting attacks against innocent civilians and security forces.”