The Nigerian Air Force has assured civilians living within the vicinity of the Boko Haram stronghold of Sambisa Forest that the force will avoid bombing their locations in the on-going bombardment of the area.
This was disclosed by the Air Component Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Air Commodore Isiaka Amao in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday.
He asserted that the force embarks on serious intelligence gathering efforts embarking on its bombing missions in the area.
Amao said: ‘’We are also aware that the terrorists usually keep abducted women and children among them; so we carry out series of intelligence-gathering before striking at any target in the hideout.
“We do not carry out strikes in women and children locations because we know that they are innocent persons kept by force by the terrorists.
“Our job is to degrade the terrorists and rescue vulnerable persons forcefully abducted in their hideout.”
Amao said the force had recorded 80 percent success in its bombardment of the terrorist hideout in the forest and conducted at least 40 intervention missions in its support of ground troops.