The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE on 30 August 2018, destroyed 2 gun trucks and neutralized several Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) at ZARI on the fringes of the Lake Chad in Borno State.
A statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola said the air strikes were conducted sequel to intelligence reports indicating that dozens of BHTs in 5 vehicles had withdrawn to a location underneath some trees about 5 Km Southwest of ZARI, after an engagement with own troops at ZARI.
Accordingly, the ATF deployed Alpha Jet and F-7 attack aircraft as well as an Mi-35M helicopter gunship supported by 2 Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms to conduct a massive attack against the insurgents.
Overhead the target area, the BHTs, who were initially seen assembled by their vehicles along the road, rapidly dispersed to disparate positions within the general area, with some of them seen firing at own platforms.
The NAF attack aircraft therefore struck the various positions in successive coordinated waves; destroying 2 of the BHTs’ vehicles and neutralizing several BHTs in the process. Some of the surviving insurgents were seen fleeing the location in different directions. These were accordingly mopped-up in subsequent follow-on attacks.
The NAF will continue to deploy its platforms to conduct intensive ISR missions in the entire Northeast aimed at discovering the possible locations of remnants of BHTs and neutralizing them.
Meanwhile, the troops of 2 Division Task Force Battalion deployed in Operation LAFIYA DOLE have successfully routed Boko Haram insurgents in an encounter that ensued at Zari village in Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno state.
Another statement by the Director Public Relations, Brigadier General Texas Chukwu said the insurgents were on rampage to loot the community and extort money from villagers but met with a fierce resistance by the troops who were supported by the Air Task Force.
Several members of the Boko Haram fighters were neutralized and weapons destroyed during the encounter.
Zari village and the surrounding communities have been stabilized and normalcy restored. The troops have also been reinforced to conduct more robust fighting patrol in the general area.
The people of Guzamala and Mobar communities and indeed the entire good people of Borno state are urged to remain calm, resilient and supportive of Operation LAFIYA DOLE as the troops relentlessly fight terrorism and insurgency in the North East.
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