By Joy Yesufu
The Defence Headquarters has dismissed reports alleging civilian casualties during a recent air-land military operation conducted by troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA in Zamfara State.
The operation, carried out on May 10, 2026, targeted what the military described as a high-level gathering of terrorist leaders at Tumfa Village in Shinkafi Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, the military said the strike was based on credible intelligence obtained from multiple human intelligence sources.
According to the statement, the location had been identified as a coordination centre for planned terrorist attacks within the North-West region.
“The operation targeted a confirmed high-level gathering of terrorist ring leaders… a location verified by credible, multi-source human intelligence as a coordination point for planned attacks,” the statement read.
The Defence Headquarters explained that the mission involved an air interdiction strike, noting that such operations do not allow for the immediate verification of casualty figures on the ground.
It, however, maintained that post-operation assessments confirmed that several terrorists were neutralised during the operation.
“The official position remains that several terrorists were neutralised, as confirmed by a Battle Damage Assessment conducted after the strike,” the statement added.
The military also rejected claims that civilians were killed in the operation, insisting that no credible evidence had been presented to support the allegations.
“No credible, substantiated evidence of civilian casualties has been established through any official assessment or independent verification,” Onoja stated.
According to the Defence Headquarters, the targeted site was occupied solely by armed non-state actors considered a direct threat to surrounding communities.
The military further emphasised that all operations are conducted in line with established Rules of Engagement and international humanitarian law principles, including distinction, proportionality, and precaution.
It added that troops are continuing clearance operations in the area while urging members of the public and media organisations to rely on official channels for verified information regarding ongoing military activities.
The Defence Headquarters assured that any confirmed incidents involving civilians would be transparently communicated in accordance with military procedures.
