RismadarVoice Reporters
October 29, 2026
The Nigerian military has announced the killing of 15 suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists, including two senior commanders, during an air operation targeting an insurgent hideout in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State.
The Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, disclosed that the operation was conducted at approximately 9:20 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, following intelligence reports concerning terrorist activities north of Kerenoa.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Acting Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, identified the two commanders reportedly killed as Abu Musanna and Hassan Abu Huraira.
According to the military, the operation involved armed reconnaissance and air interdiction missions aimed at disrupting insurgent activities and destroying suspected terrorist logistics facilities.
Goni explained that surveillance aircraft initially tracked two suspected terrorists travelling on a motorcycle to a makeshift structure beneath a tree.
Further monitoring reportedly revealed additional movements around the location, suggesting the presence of other insurgents.
The military subsequently launched precision airstrikes against the identified position.
A post-strike battle damage assessment indicated that 15 suspected terrorists were killed, while structures at the location were destroyed.
The statement further disclosed that several other fighters sustained serious injuries, including the group’s area commander, identified as the ISWAP Wali, who was reportedly critically wounded.
The military also reported observing a secondary fire following the strikes, suggesting that the targeted structure might have been used to store materials associated with improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
However, the suspected use of the facility as an explosives logistics hub has not been conclusively established.
The reported deaths, identities of the commanders and extent of injuries have also not been independently verified.
Operation HADIN KAI described the mission as part of its continuing intelligence-led campaign against insurgent networks operating across Nigeria’s North-East.
The task force maintained that coordinated air and ground operations would continue to target terrorist hideouts, disrupt logistics networks and weaken the operational capabilities of armed groups.
It reaffirmed its commitment to restoring security and supporting lasting peace in communities affected by insurgency across the region.
