United States Resumes Surveillance Over Sambisa Forest Following Sokoto Airstrikes

 

The United States has resumed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations over Nigeria following recent airstrikes targeting Islamic State militants in Sokoto State.

Brandon Philip, a terrorism analyst specializing in the Sahel region, reported on Saturday, December 27, that a U.S. aircraft was observed conducting operations over northeastern Nigeria, including Borno State. Flight-tracking data identified the aircraft as a Gulfstream V jet, frequently modified for long-range ISR missions.

Philip noted that the surveillance primarily targets the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), active in Nigeria’s northeast and the Lake Chad Basin. These operations resumed after a one-day pause following the Sokoto airstrikes, covering areas around the Sambisa Forest in Borno State.

Flight records indicate that U.S. intelligence operations over Nigeria began on November 24, following the aircraft’s departure from Ghana, which serves as a strategic logistics hub for U.S. military activities in West Africa. The aircraft is affiliated with Tenax Aerospace, a company providing specialized aviation services to the U.S. military.

Initially, the ISR missions were reportedly aimed at tracking a U.S. pilot kidnapped in neighboring Niger, as well as gathering intelligence on militant groups operating within Nigeria.

The resumption of surveillance follows high-level security discussions in Washington between Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. These talks occurred amid growing security concerns and warnings from former U.S. President Donald Trump regarding terrorism and violence in Nigeria.

Following the discussions, Secretary Hegseth affirmed that the U.S. Department of Defense would collaborate closely with Nigeria to address security threats, including jihadist attacks. Trump subsequently indicated that additional military action could follow the initial Sokoto airstrikes, suggesting a potential sustained U.S. engagement in the region.

Source: Gistreel