The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA
DOLE has tracked and destroyed some Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT)
vehicles as they were attempting to launch fresh attacks on ground
troops locations at Gudumbali and Damasak in Borno State.
Air
Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, Director of Public Relations and
Information, Nigerian Air Force in a statement said the mission was
initiated following intelligence reports indicating that a convoy of
BHT vehicles had been sighted within the Damasak - Gudumbali Axis.
“A
Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance
(ISR) platform was dispatched to search for and locate the convoy of
vehicles. The ISR aircraft spotted vehicles at a location 24 Km SW of
Gudumbali heading in a Northwards direction. Consequently, a
helicopter gunship was scrambled to attack the convoy.
“The
helicopter arrived the location and was vectored to the position of
the vehicles, which, at the time, were about midway between Nigerian
Army (NA) locations at Metele and Arege. Following communications
with ground troops, the BHT vehicles were positively identified,
isolated and attacked by the helicopter gunship in successive
strikes. In the process, 4 of the vehicles were immobilized and their
occupants neutralized. The ISR aircraft continued to track the
remaining 5 vehicles, which initially dispersed but later regrouped
and continued their retreat to Tumbun Rego. They were subsequently
attacked at their harbour location by the freshly rearmed helicopter
gunship; with 3 direct hits recorded on the vehicles.
“A
follow-up attack on the newly discovered insurgents’ logistics base
in Tumbun Rego was conducted by 2 Alpha Jet aircraft later in the
morning today. The makeshift buildings and other facilities in the
base were accordingly destroyed in the air strike. The NAF, working
in concert with surface forces, will sustain the momentum of
operations with a view to destroying vestiges of the insurgents in
the Lake Chad green fringes and other areas in Northern Borno.”
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