The Nigerian Air Force said it killed scores of suspected terrorists during multi-airstrikes at Warawara, near Wajiroko, and Chinene in the Mandara Mountains area of Borno State.

This is contained in a statement by the Deputy Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Group Capt. Kabiru Ali, on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Ali said that the NAF sustained its counterterrorism operations tempo in the North-East, executing decisive airstrikes in multiple waves on Wednesday and dealing a severe blow to insurgent activities.

He said that the NAF, guided by painstaking Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, identified a number of terrorists stockpiling logistics and planting Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) around Wajiroko.

According to him, surveillance later tracked their movement to a concealed location housing a gun truck, ammunition stockpiles, and fuel reserves.

Mr Ali stated, “In response, the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) executed multiple waves of air interdiction missions. The first wave struck the terrorists’ logistics hub, destroying gun trucks and critical supplies. The other followed with sustained rocket and cannon attacks, ensuring the complete annihilation of the terrorist’s assets. Later that day, NAF aircraft targeted another terrorist enclave at Chinene in the Mandara Mountains. Intelligence reports indicated that insurgents had relocated there following a previous air raid on Degbewa on March 16. Overhead reconnaissance confirmed the presence of active structures, prompting the execution of strikes that set terrorist hideouts ablaze.”

Mr Ali added that the fleeing insurgents were subsequently engaged and neutralised, further crippling their operational capacity.

According to him, battle damage assessment and corroboratory intelligence confirmed the neutralisation of scores of terrorist fighters.

He said the airstrikes also destroyed four terrorist gun trucks, two Toyota Hilux vehicles, and several makeshift shelters, forcing the insurgents to abandon their positions degrading their operational capabilities.

”These successful air interdiction missions underscore the NAF’s unwavering commitment to neutralising insurgents, disrupting their logistics, and denying them havens. With sustained pressure on terrorist elements, the NAF remains resolute in its mission to restore peace and security in the country,” he said.

(NAN)