More than 20 combatants from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were killed in a new coordinated air action in the northeast, according to the Defense Headquarters (DHQ) and the United States Africa Command.
According to the military, intelligence information on the movement and convergence of terrorist elements in the area led to the strikes in the general Metele area.
This was said in a statement released on Monday by Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba, the Director of Defense Information.
The statement said that the operation was a component of continuous efforts to destroy terrorist networks and prevent rebels from finding safe havens in Nigeria.
It clarified that the synchronized airstrikes were directed against ISIS/ISWAP fighters who had been seen regrouping nearby prior to the attack.
More than 20 terrorists were eliminated as a result of the operation, which the DHQ described as a significant victory in the counter-insurgency operations.
It further stated that the Armed Forces of Nigeria will carry out ongoing operations to weaken terrorist capabilities throughout the Northeast in collaboration with US Africa Command.
The military added that the ongoing operations are intended to prevent regrouping, eliminate fighters from the battlefield, and disrupt terrorist movements.
Maj.-Gen. Uba emphasized the military’s dedication to protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while restating that there would be no safe harbor for terrorists anywhere in the nation.
The development coincides with Nigeria and the United States’ ongoing counterterrorism collaboration in the wake of recent reports that a joint operation killed a senior ISIS-affiliated individual in the area.
