Military Airstrikes Kill Scores of ISWAP Fighters

The Nigerian military, in a significant display of its air superiority, has confirmed that scores of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters were killed during a series of precision airstrikes on a strategic island in Lake Chad on Saturday. The successful operation, which delivered a critical blow to the insurgents’ logistics and command structure, was a coordinated effort under the Theatre Command North East Joint Task Force, Operation HADIN KAI, and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), highlighting the collaborative nature of the regional fight against terrorism.

According to sources familiar with the operation, the mission was launched after a series of intensive reconnaissance and interdiction missions in the vast, marshy area between Gamboru and the Lake Chad Island. The air component, leveraging intelligence from both local and international partners, identified the movement of ISWAP fighters and their key assets. Precision strikes were carried out, destroying at least 12 boats suspected to be used for logistics. The operation also successfully neutralised concealed shelters believed to house weapons, ammunition, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). One source noted that the initial strike on a suspected IED-making facility caused insurgents to flee in disarray, a sign of the surprise and effectiveness of the attack. Another strike reportedly hit a command post, leading to the death of several key fighters and causing a profound disruption to their operational capability. Over 20 insurgents were later seen attempting to evacuate casualties from the site, an indication of the heavy losses inflicted by the air campaign.

The strategic importance of this operation cannot be overstated. The Lake Chad Basin, with its vast and complex hydrography, has long been a major hideout for ISWAP and other insurgent groups. The ever-changing network of remote islands, creeks, and waterways provides a natural shield from conventional ground assaults, making it an ideal location for the insurgents to plan attacks, store weapons, and conduct their logistics. ISWAP, which splintered from the Abubakar Shekau-led faction of Boko Haram, has leveraged this terrain to build a more sophisticated and organized structure. Unlike the original Boko Haram, which often targeted civilians indiscriminately, ISWAP has a more defined command and control system and focuses its attacks on military and government targets. Its strategy of trying to win the hearts and minds of the local population through providing a semblance of law and order and imposing taxes on fishing and farming has allowed it to maintain a stronghold in the region, a challenge the military is actively confronting.

The successful mission is a testament to the Nigerian military’s evolving strategy, which increasingly relies on intelligence-driven air power to degrade the enemy’s capability. This latest strike is part of a consistent pattern of effectiveness demonstrated by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in the Northeast theatre. Just days earlier, according to Dependable NG, a coordinated night operation by the NAF’s air component of Operation HADIN KAI eliminated over 25 terrorists in Borno and Yobe states, further highlighting the military’s renewed resolve and enhanced capacity. The air interdiction operations serve to deny the insurgents freedom of movement, disrupt their supply lines, and prevent them from regrouping to launch major attacks.

The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), which collaborated with the Nigerian military on this operation, is a combined force comprising military units from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria. Its mandate is to bring an end to the Boko Haram insurgency in the Lake Chad region. The collaboration underscores that the fight against ISWAP is a regional one, requiring a unified and sustained effort from all affected countries. The destruction of a command post and key logistics assets will undoubtedly hamper ISWAP’s ability to coordinate and launch future attacks, forcing them to reorganise and rethink their strategy. As the military continues to intensify its air and ground operations, these precision strikes are proving to be a decisive factor in the ongoing campaign to restore peace and security to the Lake Chad Basin.