MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — At least 15 suspected fighters belonging to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were reportedly killed in a military air strike carried out in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State, as Nigerian security forces continue operations against insurgent groups in the country’s North-East.
According to counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama, the operation was conducted at approximately 5:35 a.m. on Tuesday following intelligence reports indicating the presence of suspected ISWAP fighters around KLA Balia, a location within Marte Local Government Area.
The report said the strike was executed after security agencies received actionable intelligence suggesting that a group of suspected terrorists had assembled in the area. Acting on the information, military aircraft reportedly targeted the location in a precision operation aimed at disrupting insurgent activities and preventing planned attacks.
Preliminary assessments cited by the publication indicated that at least 15 suspected militants were killed during the bombardment. However, the exact number of casualties has not been independently verified, and military authorities had not issued an official statement confirming the operation or the reported death toll at the time of reporting.
Marte Local Government Area has remained one of the flashpoints of the insurgency in Borno State due to its strategic location within the Lake Chad Basin. The area has experienced repeated attacks by ISWAP and other extremist groups seeking to establish operational bases and launch assaults on military formations and surrounding communities.
In recent years, the Nigerian Armed Forces have intensified both aerial and ground offensives across the North-East in an effort to dismantle terrorist hideouts, destroy logistics hubs and prevent insurgents from regrouping. Air operations, supported by intelligence gathering and surveillance, have become a key component of the military’s counter-insurgency strategy.
Security analysts say precision air strikes have increasingly targeted locations identified through intelligence reports, with the objective of limiting the movement of armed groups and disrupting their operational capabilities before attacks can be carried out.
Despite repeated military successes, insurgent groups have continued to mount sporadic attacks on security formations and civilian communities across parts of Borno and neighboring states, highlighting the persistent security challenges facing the region.
The reported strike in Marte comes amid sustained military operations across the Lake Chad region, where security forces are working alongside regional partners to combat terrorism, restore stability and improve security for affected communities.
Authorities are expected to conduct further assessments of the operation to determine the full extent of the damage and verify casualty figures. Military officials have yet to release an official statement on the reported air strike, while independent confirmation of the casualty count remains pending.
