Nigerian troops operating under Operation Hadin Kai, in a joint effort with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), successfully eliminated more than 35 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in a coordinated operation around Kumshe, a border community located in Borno State. This decisive action followed an attempt by ISWAP fighters to attack military positions in Kumshe early on Saturday morning, leading to a significant counter-insurgency victory.

According to reports from Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication, the insurgents, advancing from the Gulumba Gana axis, launched an assault but were met with fierce resistance and intense fire from the Nigerian ground troops. Preliminary findings and field reports indicated that ISWAP suffered heavy losses, with at least 35 fighters confirmed killed. While some injured insurgents were reportedly evacuated to the Zangeri camp near Gulumba Gana, many others were either buried in haste or left on the battlefield due to the swift and overwhelming military response. The Nigerian military also sustained casualties in the intense exchange, with one soldier killed and two others injured.

To bolster the ground operation and prevent further insurgent activity, the NAF conducted precision air strikes. These strikes targeted terrorist assembly points and clusters of ISWAP fighters along the Nigeria–Cameroon border, effectively disrupting ISWAP’s operational capabilities and thwarting their plans for reinforcements. Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, confirmed that these successful airstrikes executed terrorists in four major camps near Kumshe. Communication re-established with ground forces after the operation confirmed that the situation around their location had been stabilized.

The NAF reiterated its unwavering commitment to providing close air support to ground troops and disrupting terrorist logistics networks and movement corridors in the volatile North-east border region. The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, lauded the bravery and professionalism of both the ground troops and the aircrew. He assured the public that the NAF would sustain its aggressive, intelligence-driven air operations until all terrorist threats to Nigeria’s sovereignty are completely eliminated.