Airstrikes Kill 15 Terrorists, Including Two ISWAP Commanders, in Borno
By Ali Mohammed Zanna, Maiduguri
The Nigerian military says airstrikes conducted by troops of Operation Hadin Kai have killed 15 terrorists, including two senior Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commanders, and destroyed a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) logistics facility in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State.
The operation was carried out at about 9:20 p.m. on October 28, 2026, around Kerenoa, following intelligence reports on terrorist activities in the area.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Acting Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, the air operation began with the surveillance of two suspected terrorists riding a motorcycle towards a makeshift structure beneath a tree.
Further monitoring reportedly revealed movements of other suspected fighters around the location, prompting the air assets to launch precision strikes.
The military said a subsequent battle damage assessment indicated that 15 terrorists had been killed and structures at the location destroyed.
It added that a secondary fire observed after the strikes suggested that the targeted facility might have been used to store materials associated with IED operations.
The statement identified two of the alleged ISWAP commanders killed in the operation as Abu Musanna and Hassan Abu Huraira.
It further reported that several other fighters sustained serious injuries, including the group’s Wali, or governor, in the area, who was said to be critically injured.
Captain Goni said the operation formed part of the military’s sustained intelligence-led offensive to weaken terrorist capabilities, destroy their hideouts and disrupt their logistics networks across the North-East.
He added that Operation Hadin Kai would continue coordinated operations against terrorist groups as part of efforts to restore lasting peace and security in the region.
