The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has carried out precision airstrikes in Borno state, destroying around 10 canoes and killing more than 40 militants who were reportedly preparing attacks in the region, the military confirmed late Sunday.
Borno state, located in the northeast of Nigeria, remains the epicenter of the country’s 17-year Islamist insurgency, where fighters from Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) continue to target military convoys, communities, and civilians.
The latest airstrikes were conducted as part of a broader counterinsurgency campaign by the Nigerian military aimed at degrading the operational capacity of these militant groups around the Lake Chad area. The destroyed canoes, often used by insurgents to navigate the waterways of the Lake Chad Basin, represent a critical logistical component for their movements and attacks.
Military officials emphasized that ongoing air operations are part of a multi-pronged strategy, including ground patrols, intelligence-led operations, and coordinated responses with neighboring countries, to curb the escalating attacks in Borno and surrounding states.
The strikes are expected to disrupt planned assaults on local communities and military installations, though security experts warn that the insurgents may continue adapting their tactics, moving to more remote areas, or conducting asymmetric attacks.
Borno’s civilian population has borne the brunt of the insurgency, with thousands displaced and critical infrastructure repeatedly targeted. While the military has intensified operations in recent months, humanitarian agencies continue to call for additional support to protect vulnerable communities and provide essential aid to displaced residents.
The Nigerian Air Force’s action underscores the government’s continued commitment to combat insurgency and restore stability in the northeast, even as the fight against Boko Haram and ISWAP remains complex and ongoing.
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