The Nigerian Armed Forces on Saturday said that its airstrikes in Northeast region of the country has killed “several” Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) and destroyed “their logistics supplies.”
Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters, Major General John Enenche, said in a statement that the air strikes were executed by the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE at Mina, along the Gulumba Gana-Kumshe Axis in the Northern part of Borno State.
According to General Enenche, “the feat, which has further destabilized the BHTs’ new leadership and curtailed their freedom of action, was achieved on 3 July 2020 as part of missions being executed under the subsidiary Operation LONG REACH II.”
He added that Human Intelligence reports had indicated that “the BHT location had recently been reinforced with fighters and logistics supplies to provide resistance against nearby friendly ground troops’ positions. Confirmatory surveillance missions also observed significant numbers of terrorists in the settlement.
“Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets detailed by the ATF to engage the location scored accurate hits in their bombing runs, neutralizing some of the BHTs and destroying some of their structures, including one of the terrorists’ logistics’ huts which was seen engulfed in flames. Some of the fighters who escaped the bomb attacks were mopped as the jets strafed their hiding positions.”
Enenche noted that the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has already commended “the ATF for their dedication, dexterity and professionalism. The Defence Headquarters equally urged them to intensify the air offensive against the terrorists and all other criminal elements threatening the peace and security of our beloved country.”