By Zagazola Makama
In a major show of regional military cooperation, troops of the Nigerian military in collaboration with the Nigerien Defence Forces have launched a decisive joint offensive on a fortified terrorists stronghold located between Damasak in Borno State and Diffa in southern Niger Republic.
Zagazola Makama learnt that the offensive, which began in the early hours of Sunday, targeted a well-defended insurgent position approximately 25 kilometres from Damasak and 17 kilometres from Diffa, believed to be operated by fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the location served as a key logistical hub and operational base for the insurgents, complete with anti-aircraft (AA) gun emplacements and an extensive network of trenches.
“In the first wave of the assault, the Air Component Command of Operation HADIN KAI conducted four precision strikes which successfully knocked out enemy anti-aircraft positions and neutralised scores of terrorists,” the source said.
The coordinated strikes were immediately followed by aerial bombardment from the Nigerien Air Force, which delivered additional blows to the insurgents’ infrastructure and personnel. A subsequent Battle Damage Assessment confirmed the effectiveness of the air operations.
On the ground, combined troops from Nigeria and the Nigerien Defence Forces subsequently executed a dual-flank ground offensive to clear and secure the area.
“This joint operation point to the recent deepening regional cooperation between Nigeria and Niger Republic in the fight against terrorism and trans-border criminality in the Lake Chad Basin,” confirmed the source.
The offensive comes at a time of increasing cross-border attacks and insurgent movement in the region, especially around the Kamadougou-Yobe River axis and other porous points of the Nigeria–Niger border.
