Nigeria, US launch fresh joint airstrikes on ISWAP targets in Borno

Nigeria and the United States have carried out new joint airstrikes on suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) positions in Borno State, killing over 20 militants and destroying several logistics sites in operations conducted between Friday and Sunday, 16–18 May 2026, according to military briefings and media reports.

The coordinated strikes, led by the Nigerian Air Force with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support from US assets, targeted insurgent hideouts around the fringes of the Lake Chad Basin and remote communities near the Marte and Kukawa axes of northern Borno. Security sources said the militants were using the locations as staging grounds for attacks on military positions and nearby villages.

Air force officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss operational details, said preliminary battle damage assessments indicated that more than 20 fighters were neutralised in a series of precision strikes on makeshift camps, weapons storage points and vehicle clusters. The figures are still being verified, and independent confirmation remains difficult due to restricted access to the area.

Local sources in communities around Monguno and Marte reported intense aircraft activity over the weekend, with residents hearing multiple explosions in the distance. No civilian casualties had been reported as of Monday morning, though humanitarian groups are urging caution and calling for continued efforts to avoid harm to people living near insurgent-controlled territory.

According to officials familiar with the operation, Nigerian ground troops from Operation Hadin Kai were placed on heightened alert to exploit the effects of the air campaign, moving to block potential escape routes and disrupt any attempts by surviving militants to regroup. US forces, operating under existing security cooperation frameworks, did not deploy combat troops on the ground but provided targeting support and real-time imagery to guide the strikes.

The latest action adds to a series of joint and partner-supported missions aimed at degrading ISWAP’s ability to move fighters, weapons and supplies across the porous border areas between Nigeria, Chad and Niger. Analysts say the group has increasingly relied on remote island and forest locations in the Lake Chad region to avoid detection while planning ambushes and improvised explosive device (IED) attacks on military convoys and civilian traffic.

In a statement released in Abuja on Sunday night, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) confirmed that “multiple coordinated air interdictions” were conducted against what it described as “high-value terrorist enclaves and logistics hubs” in northern Borno. While the statement did not mention US involvement by name, senior officers later told journalists that the mission fell within Nigeria’s ongoing security partnership with “friendly nations” in the fight against terrorism.

DHQ said the operation followed days of surveillance which confirmed the presence of ISWAP commanders, foot soldiers and support elements at the targeted locations. It added that “a significant number of terrorists were neutralised, their structures decimated, and several vehicles and motorcycles used for raids on civilian communities were destroyed.” The military reiterated that no civilian dwellings were deliberately engaged and that care was taken to strike only positively identified hostile targets.

The statement framed the strikes as part of broader efforts to maintain pressure on ISWAP cells that have continued to launch sporadic attacks despite years of counter-insurgency operations in the North-East. DHQ urged Nigerians, particularly residents of Borno and neighbouring states, to continue providing information on suspicious movements to aid ongoing operations.

ISWAP, an offshoot of Boko Haram formally recognised by the Islamic State group in 2016, has emerged as the most lethal insurgent faction in the Lake Chad region. While Boko Haram has weakened following the death of its long-time leader Abubakar Shekau and sustained military pressure, ISWAP has expanded its influence, taxing local communities, targeting military formations and competing with other armed groups for control of smuggling routes and natural resources.

In recent years, the Nigerian military has relied increasingly on airpower to hit remote camps and disrupt insurgent logistics, often with intelligence and technical assistance from foreign partners. Previous joint or partner-enabled strikes have been reported around the Sambisa Forest, the Mandara Mountains along the Cameroon border, and the islands of Lake Chad, killing senior field commanders and dismantling arms depots, according to official briefings and open-source reports.

Despite these gains, communities in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa continue to face insecurity, including roadside bombs, abductions, cattle rustling and attacks on farmers returning to their fields. Humanitarian agencies also warn that years of conflict have displaced millions of people, strained basic services and left many households dependent on food assistance, even as some displaced families cautiously return to partially stabilised areas.

Security analysts say the fresh airstrikes could temporarily disrupt ISWAP’s operations in the targeted corridors, especially if followed by sustained ground patrols and efforts to block their access to fuel, food and recruits. However, they caution that the group has shown resilience in the past, often shifting to new hideouts or intensifying asymmetric attacks when under pressure.

For residents of northern Borno, the immediate concern remains whether the latest operation will translate into safer roads, fewer attacks on farming communities and a more secure environment for trade and daily life. Military authorities say more operations are planned in the coming weeks as part of an ongoing campaign to degrade ISWAP and other armed groups, but they acknowledge that lasting security will also depend on governance, development and community reconciliation initiatives across the North-East.