Nigerian Air Force disclosed that its jets have bombarded the meeting venue of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists, killing scores in the process.
A statement by NAF director of public relations and information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, stated that the insurgents were neutralized as they were assembled for a meeting at their hideout in Kollaram on the fringes of Lake Chad in the Northern part of Borno state.
The statement read: “in continuation of Operation RATTLE SNAKE, the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has neutralized some Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters as they assembled for a meeting at their hideout in Kollaram on the fringes of Lake Chad in the Northern part of Borno state.
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“The operation was executed on 14 December 2019 following credible intelligence reports indicating that some of the ISWAP leaders had assembled for a meeting in one of 2 buildings at the centre of the settlement.
“The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) jets dispatched by the ATF to attack the location scored accurate hits on the target building completely obliterating it and killing its terrorists’ occupants.The NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, will sustain its efforts to completely destroy all remnants of the terrorists in the Northeast.”
Earlier, The Herald reported that NAF neutralized scores of the terrorists in massive airstrikes at Kokiwa and Bula Korege on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest in Borno.
The NAF said it also destroyed some of the terrorist structures in the airstrikes it conducted through the Air Task Force (ATF) for Operation LAFIYA DOLE on Wednesday.
Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, who made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, said the operation was conducted on Wednesday.
Daramola said the airstrikes were conducted in continuation of ” Operation Rattle Snake”.
According to him, “Operation Rattle Snake is an air Interdiction Operation, which commenced on Tuesday aimed to target selected locations within the North East to further degrade the remnants of the terrorists and deny them safe havens and freedom of action.
“The airstrikes were conducted in continuation of Operation RATTLESNAKE after credible Human Intelligence (HUMINT) reports, which were also corroborated by a series of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
“The ATF therefore, detailed its fighter jets and helicopter gunships to attack the two locations.”