"Nigerian Air Strikes Continue Against Jihadist Threats Amid Rising Violence"

"The ongoing conflict in Nigeria has taken a grave turn as the military reportedly kills 35 jihadists in air strikes aimed at thwarting future attacks. Amid this, notable Nigerians have raised alarms over escalating violence, insisting on more decisive action against jihadists and criminal gangs."

Nigeria's military has announced the killing of 35 jihadists in a series of air strikes conducted along its northeastern border with Cameroon. This military operation was aimed at preventing the jihadist groups from launching future attacks on ground troops. The ongoing conflict in Nigeria has seen the nation grappling with not just jihadists, but also an array of violent criminal organizations, tribal disputes, and a rampant kidnapping epidemic.

In a recent declaration, a coalition of high-profile Nigerians, including former ministers and activists, expressed deep concerns regarding the alarming violence, which they believe mirrors "war-time levels of slaughter," despite the country currently being in peacetime. This concern is reinforced by a report from Amnesty International, which disclosed that at least 10,217 deaths have occurred since President Bola Tinubu took office two years ago. The group has since advocated for the establishment of a Presidential Task Force endowed with the authority to confront the myriad conflicts plaguing the nation, highlighting particularly the resurgence of the militant Islamist factions, Boko Haram and the splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap).

The Nigerian Army recently reported that approximately 600 militants have been neutralized over the past eight months in the northeastern region, with assertions awaiting independent verification. The Nigerian Air Force has committed to sustaining air support for ground troops, actively dismantling jihadist strongholds in the northeast. According to United Nations estimates, the ongoing strife has claimed over 35,000 lives and displaced around 2 million people. The Institute for Security Studies has highlighted that at least 15 jihadist attacks have occurred this year in regions adjacent to Nigeria’s borders with Cameroon and Niger. These jihadist factions are employing modified commercial drones to target military installations, complicating the military's capacity to deploy reinforcements. In a move signaling support, the US State Department recently approved a significant weapon sale worth $346 million to Nigeria.