LAGOS: Nigeria’s air force confirmed it eliminated more than 35 jihadists during Saturday raids targeting militant fighters gathering near the Nigeria-Cameroon border.
The operation followed an attempted attack on Nigerian ground troops by the militant fighters in the border region.
This air strike represents the latest military action against a resurgence of attacks in Nigeria’s embattled northwest regions.
“Acting on multiple intelligence from several sources, the Air Component executed precision strikes in successive passes, engaging the terrorists and neutralising more than 35 fighters at four identified assembly areas,“ said a Nigerian Air Force statement.
The air force re-established communication with the threatened ground troops who confirmed that “the situation around their location had been stabilised” following the successful operation.
The strike had “intensified efforts” to dominate the battlefield and “deny terrorists freedom of action” according to the military statement.
While Nigeria’s 16-year-old insurgency has slowed since violence peaked around 2015, attacks have significantly increased since the beginning of this year.
The airforce stated the latest operation demonstrated their commitment to providing close air support to ground forces while “disrupting terrorist logistics and movement corridors along the north east border regions”. – AFP
