In the early hours of Saturday, a large contingent of ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) fighters launched a coordinated assault on the town of Askira in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of southern Borno State. The attackers arrived in a convoy of at least 12 gun trucks, which they mounted at strategic locations around the town to gain tactical advantage over Nigerian forces. The militants also set houses and shops on fire, burned down a primary school and a primary healthcare center, and destroyed telecommunication masts, forcing residents to flee. In response, troops of the 115 Task Force Battalion and the 28 Task Force Brigade, supported by the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), engaged the attackers in a fierce counteroffensive. The Nigerian Air Force deployed five A-Jet, two A-29, and two Dragon combat aircraft, which destroyed nine gun trucks and one Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) belonging to the terrorists. Brigadier General Dzarma Zirkusu, Commander of the 28 Task Force Brigade based in Chibok, was ambushed and killed while leading a reinforcement team from Chibok to Askira. Three soldiers who accompanied him were also killed in the same ambush. Despite the loss, the military successfully defended the location and prevented the town from being overrun.

Perpetrators

ISWAP

Response

The Nigerian military mounted a fierce defense, utilizing ground troops in armored vehicles and five NAF fighter jets to provide air support, ultimately destroying nine gun trucks and one APC. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya, directed troops to "continue in the ferocious counteroffensive and hot pursuit to eliminate the remnant of the fleeing terrorists". In the days following, troops killed over 50 ISWAP fighters in a retaliatory counteroffensive

Displacement

0

Socioeconomic drivers

The attack appears to be a reprisal for recent Nigerian military aerial bombardments that killed several ISWAP commanders, including the group's new leader Sani Shuwaram, at Sabon Tumbun and Jibularam in Marte LGA just days prior.

Trajectory

This incident reflects an evolution in ISWAP's targeting strategy from purely military engagements to include the destruction of civilian infrastructure (schools, health centers, telecom masts) — a tactic more commonly associated with Boko Haram. The group demonstrated the ability to launch a complex, multi-pronged attack involving simultaneous operations: the main assault on Askira town, an ambush on the reinforcement convoy from Chibok, and concurrent attacks on Mulai village (cattle rustling) and Buni Yadi (attack on a health centre and communication mast). The military's successful deployment of air power and the subsequent counteroffensive that killed over 50 ISWAP fighters indicate that, while ISWAP retains offensive capability, the military has improved its rapid response and air-ground coordination.

Cycle notes

This incident mirrors earlier insurgent attacks including 18 November 2018 – Metele base assault involving large-scale coordinated attack and high-value casualties, 13 June 2020 – Monguno operation characterized by multi-pronged assaults and temporary territorial pressure, 25 April 2021 – Mainok convoy-to-base escalation combining interdiction and ground assault, 02 May 2021 – Ajiri base attack involving prolonged engagement and temporary overrunning, and 13 October 2021 – Ngamdu Super Camp assault demonstrating coordinated multi-axis attacks on fortified positions, collectively reflecting a recurring operational pattern in which Islamic State West Africa Province conducts complex, multi-vector assaults on military and civilian-adjacent targets to overwhelm defensive responses, disrupt governance infrastructure, and assert territorial influence.

Pattern

Targeted Assassination

Source

• https://thesun.ng/brigadier-general-3-soldiers-killed-in-shootout-with-terrorists/