Molly Kilete
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), said its fighter jets engaged in the ongoing counter-terrorism operations have bombarded more operational bases and strongholds of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The operational bases located at Tumbun Zarami in Borno State, were as part of the ongoing air campaign of Operation YANCIN TAFKI, which aims at flushing out ISWAP terrorists from islands on the Lake Chad.
NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, who made this known in a statement, said an Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform, on a routine reconnaissance mission, detected the presence of ISWAP fighters in the settlement, with several structures and equipment beneath the thick vegetation in the area.
Daramola in the statement said: “The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has degraded an Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists’ hideout and neutralized some of their fighters at Tumbun Zarami in the northern part of Borno State. This was accomplished through air strikes conducted today April 8, 2019, as part of the ongoing air campaign of Operation YANCIN TAFKI, which is aimed at flushing out ISWAP elements from islands on Lake Chad.
“A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform, on a routine reconnaissance mission, observed the significant presence of ISWAP fighters in the settlement, with several structures and equipment spotted beneath the thick vegetation of the area.
“Accordingly, the ATF scrambled 2 NAF Alpha Jets to attack the location, recording successful strikes on the terrorists’ structures and neutralizing several of their fighters.
“The NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, will sustain its operations to completely degrade the terrorists in the Northeast.”