Molly Kilete
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), said its Air Task Force (ATF), engaged in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations in the North East has destroyed another stronghold belonging of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), in Borno State.
NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, who made this known, said the fighter jets also killed scores of ISWAP fighters and leaders and destroyed some logistics of the group at Magari on the fringes of Lake Chad in the northern Borno.
Daramola in a statement said the attack followed intelligence report that some senior ISWAP leaders arrived at the settlement on Friday, April 30, along with some of their fighters.
The statement reads: “The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has significantly degraded an Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists’ hideout and neutralised some of its leaders and fighters at Magari on the fringes of Lake Chad in the northern part of Borno State.
“This was accomplished in an air interdiction mission conducted on 1 April, 2019, following credible intelligence reports indicating that some senior ISWAP leaders arrived at the settlement on Friday 30 April 2019, along with some of their fighters.
“Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions conducted over the weekend confirmed increased level of human activities in the settlement with a prominent ISWAP flag observed near two compounds in the settlement indicating the presence of high- level leaders of the sect. Accordingly, two Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet aircraft, supported by an ISR platform, were dispatched to attack the identified compounds within the settlement.
“Overhead the target area, some terrorists were observed in the vicinity of the compounds. The bombs from the two Alpha Jets recorded direct hits on the target compounds resulting in destruction of several structures, which were seen engulfed in flames. Several of the terrorists were also neutralised in the process.
“The NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, will sustain its operations against the terrorists in the North East.”