Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) fighting the Islamist insurgency in Nigeria’s North East said its troops have destroyed several Boko Haram strongholds at Arege, Metele and Duguri areas of northern Borno State.
The troops from Chad, Niger Republic and Nigeria destroyed the terrorists’ dens in continuation of its clearance operations to wipe out terrorists who have been hibernating in the area.
Chief of Military Public Information Colonel Timothy Antigha said several rounds of ammunitions, gun trucks, anti aircraft guns, motorcycles and other logistics were captured and burnt by the soldiers.
Antigha said three soldiers wounded in the operations were evacuated by a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) helicopter to a medical facility in N’Djamena.
Antigha in a statement reported that:
“In continuation of Operation YANCIN TAFKI, the Multinational Joint Task Force has successfully conducted a multi-sector link up operation involving troops from Chad, Niger Republic and Nigeria. The operation cleared terrorists who have been hibernating in Arege and Metele and Duguri, thereby enabling troops of Sector 2 (Chad) and Sector 3 (Nigeria) to link up with their counterparts in Sector 4 (Niger) around the Kamadougou River.
“In the course of the link up operation Boko Haram Terrorists suffered severe human and equipment losses, as 13 terrorists were killed, while many others sustained injuries. Furthermore, 3 Guntrucks were captured, while another Guntruck and 3 Motorcycles were burnt. The terrorists also lost 3 Anti- Air guns and several rounds of assorted ammunition among other items.
“Unfortunately, 3 MNJTF personnel were Wounded in Action during the operation. Accordingly, the wounded were air lifted by the Nigerian Air Task Force and were received in N’Djamena this evening by the Deputy Force Commander, Brigadier General Nouma Melingui on behalf of the Force Commander, Major General Ibrahim Manu Yusuf. The wounded soldiers have been stabilized and are responding to treatment.
“It would be recalled that at the recently concluded meeting of Ministers of Defence of MNJTF Troop Contributing Countries in N’Djamena, the MNJTF was directed to sustain the continous mobile operations until the last of Boko Haram Terrorist is neutralized.”