The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Thursday said its jets under Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai bombarded a terrorists’ hideout near Degbewa and Chinene in the Mandara Mountains, Northeast Nigeria.
NAF Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, said in a statement that “Aerial bombardments carried out by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai in the early hours of 3 July 2024, near Degbewa and Chinene, 2 known terrorists hideout tucked in the Mandara mountains, have led to the elimination of several terrorists and their structures.
“The air strikes became expedient after several days of aerial surveillance over Chinene and Degbewa , which revealed a consistent gathering of large number of terrorists in the area also suspected to be sites for manufacturing of Improvised Explosive Devices and storage area.
“The terrorists were also observed to be loitering within the vicinity, clearly oblivious of what was to befall them, and probably confident that their location was safe and secured from any form of military bombardments.
“The air strikes were thus authourized with the aircraft bombarding the locations in several passes until majority of the terrorists were eliminated. Others observed fleeing the location were taken out using canons.”