…says ongoing operations yielding gains
Emmanuel Onani, Abuja
The military has announced the successful destruction of a logistics base operated by suspected Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in air strikes conducted at Tumbun Rego, on the fringes of Lake Chad in Borno State.
This was as it noted that the mission conducted by the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole, also killed scores of the terrorists during the operation conducted on Sunday .
Coordinator, Defence Media Operations (DMO), Major General John Enenche, who made the disclosire in a statement Tuesday, said the combat mission was a product of actionable intelligence reports of activities of the terrorists in the area.
“The mission was executed on 22 November 2020 on the heels of credible intelligence reports indicating that the location, with its makeshift structures camouflaged under dense vegetation, was being used by the terrorists as a hub for logistics items conveyed via the lake and its tributaries for onward transportation using trucks/motorcycles.
“The Air Task Force therefore dispatched Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets and helicopter gunships to attack the location. Overhead the target area, a significant number of ISWAP elements were observed.
“These were engaged in successive passes by the NAF attack aircraft resulting in the destruction of the terrorists’ structures as well as the neutralization of several of their fighters,” Enenche stated.
He said extended the commendation of the Military High Command to the Air Task Force for their professionalism and urged them to remain resolute in the conduct of operations in order to rid the country of all terrorists elements.