Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), said its Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, has destroyed another terrorists base and killed several members of the Boko Haram terrorists at Abulam in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno State.
NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, in a statement said: “Several Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) have been neutralized and some structures in their camp at Abulam in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno State have been destroyed in air strikes conducted yesterday, 31 December 2019, by the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE. The mission was executed to mark the commencement of Operation RATTLE SNAKE 2, an Air Interdiction Operation aimed taking out some identified insurgent camps and logistics facilities in order to further unhinge the terrorists’ centre of gravity and diminish their fighting capability.
“Abullam was selected for attack on Day One of the operation based on credible intelligence reports indicating that the terrorists had resumed using the once-abandoned settlement as a staging point from where they launch attacks against our ground troops’ locations. Accordingly, the ATF detailed its attack aircraft, supported by an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, to attack designated compounds within the settlement. The jets took turns to engage the target in successive passes leading to the destruction of some of the structures as well as the killing of several terrorists.
“It may be recalled that in mid-December 2019, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) planned and executed the highly- successful Operation RATTLE SNAKE 1. Operation RATTLE SNAKE 2 is planned to consolidate the gains of the earlier operation and shape the battlespace for further air and ground operations.”