Fifty-five suspected members of the Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP), including several top commanders have been killed by the troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) on the fringes of Arege in Malam Fatori of Abadam local government area of Borno State.

Niger Republic' Ministry of Defence, which revealed the killings yesterday, said they were carried out during a 22-day aggressive operation nicknamed "Operation Harbin Zuma" which began on May 6, 2023 and ended on Sunday May 28.

The ministry said the operations targeted ISWAP strongholds in the Tumbums and were coordinated by the troops of Sector 3 and Sector 4 Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).

Some of the top ISWAP commanders killed in the offensive were identified as Fiya Abouzeid, Qaïd Abou Oumama, Qaïd Malam Moustapha, and religious leaders whose identities were unknown.

It said close coordination between Niger-Nigerian Air Task Force and land forces made it possible to locate the enemy and inflict significant losses on him.

The troops also destroyed 13 vehicles and 13 motorcycles while five other Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs) were trailed, trapped and destroyed by the troops.

The Nigerien Sector 4 MNJTF lost two of its soldiers, three slightly wounded, while one Phantom Mrap was damaged. It, however, did not disclose the casualty recorded on the Nigerian side.

The main objective of the operation was to neutralise the terrorists who were in their bastion in Arege, Nigeria.