The United States has resumed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations over Nigeria’s north-east, focusing on militant activity in the Sambisa Forest, days after airstrikes on ISIS fighters in Sokoto State.
The development was disclosed on by Sahel-focused terrorism tracker Brant Philip, who shared flight-tracking data showing a US aircraft operating over Borno State. According to the data, the aircraft was a Gulfstream V — a long-range jet often modified for ISR missions.
“The United States resumed ISR operations today on ISWAP in the Sambisa forest, Borno State in northeast Nigeria, after a pause of one day following the strikes in Sokoto State,” Philip wrote on X.
He explained that the operation targets the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), the ISIS affiliate active mainly in Nigeria’s north-east and the Lake Chad basin.
Flight-tracking records reviewed by open-source analysts show that the US began its current ISR missions over Nigeria on November 24, with aircraft taking off from Ghana, a key logistics hub for the American military in West Africa.
The same aircraft, linked to Tenax Aerospace, a US special mission aircraft provider, has reportedly flown over Nigeria almost daily since then.
Sources familiar with the operation said the flights are aimed at monitoring militant groups and tracking an American pilot kidnapped in neighbouring Niger Republic.
Thursday night’s airstrikes in North-West Nigeria, reportedly targeting ISIS-linked militants, were described by Trump as the “first fulfillment” of that pledge. “More strikes would follow,” the US President warned.
Comments
Post a Comment