At least 75 fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province have been killed following a failed attempt to infiltrate a military base in Malam Fatori, Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State, in what security sources describe as a major setback for the insurgent group.
According to the Zagazola Makama, initial reports had placed the number of insurgents killed at 61 after troops of Operation Hadin Kai, supported by the Nigerian Air Force, repelled the attack. However, updated battlefield assessments and mop-up operations have raised the death toll to 75, with several others believed to have escaped with severe injuries.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Wednesday when ISWAP fighters advanced on foot toward the 68 Battalion formation, reportedly deploying armed drones in an attempt to breach defensive positions.
Military sources said the infiltration, launched from the Duguri axis toward the Bravo Company frontage, was swiftly detected and decisively repelled by troops.
According to the sources, the success of the operation was driven by strong coordination between ground forces and air support, underscoring the growing effectiveness of joint-force operations in the North-East.
Four precision air interdiction strikes were carried out on identified withdrawal routes, significantly degrading the insurgents’ combat capability and disrupting their movement.
“The integration of air power ensured that the insurgents were fixed in position and subjected to sustained bombardment, forcing a chaotic withdrawal toward the Arege axis,” a military source said.
The fleeing fighters were further hit by additional strike missions from allied air assets of the Niger Republic, compounding their losses. Although a full battle damage assessment is ongoing, security sources believe the combined assault significantly increased the casualty figures.
Troops also recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from the battlefield, further weakening ISWAP’s operational capacity in the Lake Chad region.
On the side of government forces, four soldiers sustained minor injuries and have since been stabilised, according to military sources.
