Over 100 terrorists have been killed including top commanders of the Boko Haram-ISWAP insurgents hibernating along the fringes of the Lake Chad.
A statement by the spokesperson of the Multinational Joint Task Force, MNJTF, Colonel Muhammad Dole says troops have in the past weeks been conducting a well coordinated land and air offensives.
The Operation codenamed Operation Lake Sanity is a joint and combined operations involving the MNJTF troops from Niger Republic, Cameroon and troops from Operation Hadin Kai OPHK- Nigeria as well as the Air Task Forces and other security agencies and the Civilian Joint Taskforce.
Some of the areas cleared include Zanari and Arina Woje which served as major fabrication workshop. Other are Asagar, Larki and Garere Kerenoa, Wurje, Arege, Abadam, Doron, Lelewa, Kolaram and several other locations around the Islands.
Relatedly, sophisticated weapons of different calibres were either destroyed or captured including a 105 mm artillery piece, several canoes and boats, motorcycles, bicycles, other terrorists’ equipment, several Improvised Explosive Devices making factories and bunkers were destroyed.
In the course of the operation, significant number of innocent citizens mostly women and children held captive by the criminals were rescued. Large quantity of food stuff especially grains, fuel dumps, illicit drugs, terrorists’ uniforms and other household materials were recovered and destroyed immediately.
Also read: Borno Gov. Zulum addresses UK conference on Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists’ surrender
However, in about four different attacks of this nature, 18 soldiers including an officer have been wounded and have been evacuated to various military medical facilities for treatment while three soldiers and one member of the CJTF paid the supreme sacrifice.
Meanwhile, five key ISWAP leaders and over 70 other terrorists have been killed in an air strike while some were injured.
A reliable source says joint efforts by the Air Components of Operation Hadin Kai and Nigerien Air Force under the Multinational Joint Task Force led to this feat.
The report adds that a reliable intelligence recently received revealed that the joint air strikes undertaken at Tumbun Rego and a training Camp about two kilometres Northwest of Tumbun Rego have led to the elimination of the terrorists
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions over the suspected locations also revealed that The location served as an abode for some top ISWAP commanders. The ISR earlier conducted on 13 April 2022 specifically sighted large number of terrorists, a likely logistics camp, about 29 motorcycles and 4 vehicles concealed under trees.hence, The need to attack the location, to soften the ground for land troops.