Six ISWAP Bomb Makers Killed in Borno Explosion

On the morning of yesterday, six members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), including a bomb-making specialist identified as Abu Umar, were killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion in Borno. The explosion reportedly occurred while the group was assembling explosive devices just hours before a joint operation by Nigerian forces aimed at disrupting ISWAP's command operations in the Lake Chad region.

The incident also resulted in serious injuries to three other members of the group. Intelligence assessments indicated that the deceased were part of ISWAP's IED-making cell operating within the Mart Kerenoa, Wulgo, and Arinna Maimasallaci areas, which are known corridors for insurgent movement in the Lake Chad Basin.

The explosion was believed to have been caused by a premature detonation, which destroyed the site and resulted in multiple casualties. Following the blast, military sources reported that operations would continue to further degrade ISWAP's operational capabilities in the region.