Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said that counterinsurgency troops in the North-East have killed some top commanders of Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) Commanders and destroyed their logistics base located at Bukar Meram on the fringes of the Lake Chad in Borno State.
The soldiers under the subsidiary of Operation HAIL STORM, the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, were said to have carried out an airstrike following intelligence reports of terrorists’ activities in the area.
The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, who made the disclosure, said the Air Task Force (ATF) has continued to carry out bombardment on targeted terrorists strongholds to rid terrorists in the area.
Enenche said in the statement:
‘In continuation of air strikes being conducted under subsidiary Operation HAIL STORM, the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has successfully neutralized some Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) Commanders and knocked out logistics facilities at Bukar Meram on the fringes of the Lake Chad in Borno State, while also neutralizing several terrorists at Dole, a settlement in the Southern part of Borno State. The air interdiction missions were executed on 17 August 2020 on the heels of credible intelligence reports indicating a resurgence of terrorists’ activities in the 2 settlements.
‘Bukar Meram, a major ISWAP logistics hub linking other Island settlements of the Lake Chad, which also houses several of their fighters and some of their key leaders, was attacked by an enhanced force package of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets and helicopter gunships which hit designated targets in the area leading to the destruction of the logistics facilities and neutralization of several of the terrorists and their leaders.
‘The attack at Dole was carried out after Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions showed a build up of activities in the area after the relocation of some terrorists from nearby settlements of Kokiwa and Yale. Overhead the area the ISR aircraft spotted no fewer than 20 terrorists in the area, which were taken out by the NAF attack aircraft.’
OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE: AIR TASK FORCE LAUNCHES SUBSIDIARY OPERATION HAIL STORM, DESTROYS TERRORISTS’ HIDEOUTS, LOGISTICS FACILITIES, NEUTRALIZES SCORES OF FIGHTERS IN LAKE CHAD, SAMBISA FOREST AREAS OF BORNO STATE https://t.co/lsbJSL4vPm pic.twitter.com/laR3F3inAL
— DEFENCE HQ NIGERIA (@DefenceInfoNG) August 17, 2020