It is reported that an estimated 15 suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists were killed in an intelligence-led operation in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State by the Nigerian military.
Security Analyst, and counter-insurgency expert of the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, revealed the operation on Twitter, his X handle.
The airstrike was conducted at approximately 5.35 am Monday, July 21st, based on credible intelligence of suspected terrorists around KLA Balia in Marte LGA, Makama said.
Three vehicles were hiding in three different hideouts that were spotted by an Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform with code name Guardian over the area, Makama said, relying on intelligence sources.
He said that more surveillance found several buildings in the vicinity and five suspected terrorists that took cover under a tree.
After the drone was able to make a positive identification, the drone fired a precision strike that killed five of the suspects it could see and caused secondary explosions, which intelligence sources estimated took out around 15 insurgents.
Following a battle damage assessment, the security analyst said the ISR platform identified the three hidden vehicles and tried to follow up with precise fire to eliminate them.
The second strike failed, however, because of a failure in the laser targeting system, which prevented the target designation.
Sources in the military said that even though there appeared to be a technical mishap, they described the operation as a “serious blow” to the terrorist group and its activities in the area.
Surveillance and intelligence monitoring of the area continues, and further operations could be mounted to search for any remaining terrorists and neutralise the remaining vehicles, according to the sources.
The air interdiction operation is part of Operation HADIN KAI targeted at the destruction of insurgent enclaves and disruptions of logistics and elimination of insurgent leadership in the Lake Chad region and the North-East region in general.
