More than 20 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters were killed in a new coordinated air operation in the northeast by Nigerian troops working with the US Africa Command, according to the Defence Headquarters (DHQ).

According to the military, intelligence information about the movement and consolidation of terrorist elements in the area prompted the strikes in the general Metele area.

Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba, the Director of Defense Information, made this announcement on Monday.

The action was part of continuous efforts to destroy terrorist networks and prevent rebels from finding safe havens in Nigeria, according to the statement.

It clarified that ISIS/ISWAP members who were seen regrouping in the vicinity prior to the attack were the focus of the coordinated airstrikes.

The DHQ described the operation as a significant victory in the counter-insurgency operations, claiming that it eliminated over 20 terrorists.

It further stated that ongoing operations to weaken terrorist capabilities throughout the Northeast will be carried out by the Armed Forces of Nigeria in collaboration with US Africa Command.

The military added that the current operations are intended to stop terrorist movements, remove combatants from the battlefield, and stop them from regrouping.

Maj.-Gen. Uba emphasized the military’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while reiterating that there would be no safe harbor for terrorists anywhere in the nation.

The development coincides with Nigeria and the United States’ ongoing counterterrorism collaboration in the wake of recent reports of a combined operation that killed a prominent ISIS-affiliated individual in the area.