Two senior commanders of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have been confirmed dead following a coordinated military operation by Nigerian forces in Damboa, Borno State.
The insurgents, identified as Ya Muhammad and Abou Dawuda, were killed during a failed assault on Damboa town, repelled by ground troops with support from precision airstrikes carried out by the Nigerian Air Force under Operation Hadin Kai.
According to security sources cited by counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama, the ISWAP fighters came under heavy bombardment as they attempted to breach the town’s defences. Ya Muhammad, said to be the Ameer Fiya of Garno, was among five top commanders leading the assault when the airstrikes disrupted their offensive.
Initial reports indicated that Ya Muhammad had managed to flee with two General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), which he later concealed in the Bula Bukarti forest after two of his subordinates were killed.
However, his attempt to regroup with more fighters was cut short when another aerial strike targeted and eliminated him. His body was later recovered by other ISWAP militants, sources confirmed.
The death of the commander is seen as a major setback for the insurgent group. Ya Muhammad was known to be a close ally of prominent ISWAP leaders, including Abu Ayuba, Abu Khalid, and Ameer Sarki.
Military intelligence links him to several high-profile attacks across Borno and Yobe states, particularly in Wajiroko, Sabon Gari, and Damboa. His elimination is expected to significantly disrupt ISWAP’s operational capacity in the region.
