Air Strike Kills Over 40 ISWAP Terrorists in Borno

The Air Component of the Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, has neutralised more than 40 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists, including a prominent commander, in a precision air strike in Borno State.

The strike, conducted on 10 October 2026, targeted a terrorist enclave at Badu Village, south of Gudumbali in Guzamala Local Government Area of the state.

The Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement issued in Maiduguri.

According to the statement, the operation followed credible intelligence that ISWAP fighters were assembling to launch coordinated attacks on troops operating within Sector 3's area of responsibility.

Acting on the intelligence, the Air Component conducted aerial surveillance, identified terrorist movements around suspected hideouts and logistics facilities, and subsequently launched a precision strike on a building occupied by the fighters.

Preliminary human intelligence and battle damage assessment indicated that more than 40 terrorists, including a prominent ISWAP Qaid (commander), were killed in the operation.

The strike also destroyed two vehicles and approximately 20 motorcycles used by the terrorists for mobility, logistics and offensive operations.

The statement added that intelligence findings linked the targeted fighters to ISWAP's Murabitun element, a specialised mobile fighting unit responsible for patrols, coordinating attacks and sustaining terrorist activities in the area.

It said the destruction of the enclave and associated operational assets had significantly weakened the group's capacity to launch attacks and sustain its activities in the Lake Chad region.

Further assessment is ongoing to determine the full extent of the damage inflicted during the operation.

The military said the successful strike demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-led, technology-enabled and coordinated air operations in disrupting terrorist networks and denying hostile elements freedom of action.

It reaffirmed the Joint Task Force's commitment to sustaining coordinated air and ground operations to eliminate terrorist threats, protect vulnerable communities and restore lasting peace and stability across the North-East.