Nigerian Air Force (NAF) strikes have killed more than 40 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, including a senior commander, and destroyed two vehicles and about 20 motorcycles in Borno State, dealing a blow to the group’s ability to move fighters and sustain attacks.
The strike hit an ISWAP hideout at Badu Village, south of Gudumbali in Guzamala Local Government Area, on October 10, 2026, following intelligence reports that the terrorists were preparing coordinated attacks on troops operating in the area.
According to the Nigerian Army, the operation was carried out by the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI after intelligence indicated a concentration of fighters within Sector 3’s area of responsibility.
It said aerial surveillance was conducted to track the terrorists before the aircraft struck a building they occupied.
Preliminary human intelligence reports and battle damage assessment according to the army, indicated that more than 40 fighters, including a prominent commander known as a Qaid, were killed.
However, the destruction of the group’s transport assets could prove just as significant as the reported casualties. The strike also destroyed two vehicles and approximately 20 motorcycles used by the fighters for movement, logistics and offensive operations.
The military identified the fighters as members of ISWAP’s Murabitun element, a mobile unit involved in patrols and coordinating attacks.
The loss of the motorcycles and vehicles could make it harder for the unit to move fighters, transport supplies and organise attacks across the area. In a terrain where mobility is crucial to armed groups operating around the Lake Chad region, the damage extends beyond the number of fighters reportedly killed.
The military said the operation had weakened ISWAP’s capacity to launch attacks and sustain its activities, while further assessment was ongoing to establish the full extent of the damage.
