Fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have reportedly buried about 30 of their members after Nigerian military airstrikes struck parts of northern Borno State.
According to military sources who spoke to Zagazola Makama, the group carried out the burials around the Mallam Fatori area following a series of targeted air operations under Operation Hadin Kai. The strikes were launched after intelligence reports tracked the movement of ISWAP fighters along waterways near Kaniram Island.
Surveillance had earlier spotted more than 30 boats lined up along a riverbank, with visible activity suggesting the presence of armed fighters organising transport and supplies.
After confirming the targets, the military carried out several airstrikes. A source said, “The initial strike disrupted and destroyed several of the boats used by the terrorists for transportation and logistics.”
Further strikes then hit fighters attempting to escape or regroup in nearby vegetation, leading to additional casualties. Battle damage assessments indicated that more than 30 fighters were killed, while others managed to flee into nearby hideouts.
Follow-up intelligence, including imagery and intercepted visuals, later confirmed that ISWAP members conducted mass burials for those killed in the attacks.
“The burial activities observed serve as clear confirmation of the scale of losses inflicted on the terrorist group,” the source added.
In a separate operation, airstrikes were also carried out in nearby Sowolwolo, where another group of fighters was targeted and killed. Military officials said the continued air operations have weakened ISWAP’s ability to move and coordinate attacks in the Lake Chad region.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining pressure on terrorist groups and restoring peace in the North-East.
Meanwhile, a video shared by counterinsurgency and security expert, Zagazola Makama, shows that fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, reportedly buried about 30 of their members.
