The Multinational Joint Task Force, MNJTF, has killed 55 terrorists from the Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP, including several top commanders, in the Fringes of Arege in Malam Fatori, Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State, Northeast Nigeria.
According to the Niger Ministry of Defence, Sector 3 and Sector 4 Multinational Joint Task Force troops coordinated a 22-day aggressive operation dubbed Operation HARBIN ZUMA that began on May 6, 2023 and ended on Sunday, May 28, 2023, targeting ISWAP strongholds.
Naturalisation was granted to several top commanders, including Fiya Abouzeid, Qad Abou Oumama, and Qad Malam Moustapha, as well as several religious leaders whose identities are unknown.
Close coordination between Niger-Nigerian Air Task Force and land forces made it possible to locate the enemy and inflict significant losses on them, the ministry said.
The troops also successfully destroyed 13 vehicles and 13 motorcycles, while 5 other Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIED), were destroyed by the troops.
The Nigérienne Sector 4 MNJTF, lost 2 of its soldiers, 3 slightly wounded, while one phantom Mrap was damaged.
It, however, did not disclose this casualty recorded on the Nigerian counterpart.
The main objective of the operation was to neutralize the terrorists who were in their bastion in Aregé, Nigeria.
The operation also aimed to maintain pressure on the Islamic State in West Africa (EIAO) and to eliminate any presence of armed terrorist groups in the area bounded by the vices of BOSSO, BAGA, GOUDOUMBALI and GASHIGAR.
It was also planned to cut off all supply routes for armed terrorist groups and reduce the threat in the region.