Nigeria neutralizes Daesh/ISIS terrorists in military operation

By Adam Abu-bashal

ABUJA, Nigeria (AA) – The Nigerian military neutralized many Daesh/ISIS terrorists during an operation in the country's northeast, an official said on Tuesday.

The operation was carried out against the Daesh/ISIS in West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Borno state using "A-29 Super Tucano" aircraft purchased from the US, Nigerian Air Force spokesman Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet said in a statement.

Gabkwet added that many terrorists, including Mallam Ari, the so-called main leader of ISWAP, were neutralized during the operation.

A group of terrorists split from Boko Haram in 2016 to pledge allegiance to Daesh/ISIS. Since then, the two groups have had a bitter rivalry, with each group carrying out terrorist attacks in the country's vast northeast region.

Around 300,000 people have been killed and three million civilians displaced in over a decade of terrorism in the country, according to the UN Humanitarian Affairs office in Nigeria.

* Writing by Seda Sevencan