Land and air offensives by Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force (NAF) troops have killed 81 Boko Haram terrorists in the Sambisa Forest axis just as one soldier also died from landmine attack during the encounter.
Troops of Sector 1, comprising 21 and 26 Brigades, supported by Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) cleared many villages of terrorists in the axis including Garin Bello, Kwoche, Lawanti, Alfa Bula Hassan and Alfa Cross among others.
And from the air, NAF aircraft engaged fleeing terrorists with sorties.
Sources said that the fleeing terrorists have continued to wreak havoc and razing villages in their escape routes.
The source said the troops on ground encountered stiff resistance from the terrorists who laid Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) along the troops’ axis of advance.
According to the source, “the relentless troops destroyed the terrorists’ camps and recovered gun trucks and weapons as NAF aircraft continue to provide close air and interdiction support to the ground forces
“Regrettably a soldier paid the supreme sacrifice with 4 other soldiers wounded in an improvised explosive devices incident.”
In a message to the troops on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Ibrahim Attahiru, Theatre Commander Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Farouk Yahaya, praised the gallantry of the troops and urged them to sustain it.
He also paid tribute to the fallen hero and urged the troops to honour his memory by dealing with the terrorists ruthlessly without mercy.
Meanwhile, a source said that a large number of fleeing Boko Haram terrorists invaded Zira and Gur villages in Biu South Local Government Area of Borno State.
The terrorists stormed the communities at about 4:30pm on Sunday, on motorcycles and gun trucks and set ablaze many houses, while residents scampered for safety.
But their exploits were cut short by NAF gunships who destroyed them from the air.
First published by PRNigeria
