Washington [US], December 27: U.S.-backed airstrikes targeted Islamic State-linked camps in northwest Nigeria, with debris from the operation damaging homes in Kwara State, the Nigerian government said on Friday (December 26).
The strikes hit two ISIS camps in Sokoto's Bauni forest, targeting foreign fighters infiltrating from the Sahel region. Sixteen GPS-guided precision munitions were deployed using MQ-9 Reaper drones launched from maritime platforms in the Gulf of Guinea, according to Nigeria's information ministry.
While the government reported no civilian casualties, residents in Offa, Kwara State, described a late-night explosion that damaged multiple homes.
Quadri Saka, a resident of Offa, said he was returning home around 11 p.m. (2200GMT) when the explosion occurred. "I heard a loud sound, something hit my ear, I was disoriented and couldn't see anything," he told Reuters.
The operation, approved by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, followed extensive intelligence gathering indicating the camps were being used by foreign ISIS elements working with local affiliates to plan large-scale attacks inside Nigeria.
Nigeria has battled Islamist insurgents for more than a decade, but the presence of foreign fighters linked to ISIS signals an escalation in the threat facing Africa's most populous nation.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Cooperation
