War jets rain missiles on Boko Haram stronghold in Sambisa

Boko Haram stronghold, Sambisa forest in Borno State, has been attacked by war jets belonging to Nigerian Air Force.

The Nation reported that the attack on the insurgents’ den in Bakari Gana was coordinated by the Air Task Force (ATF) of the Operation Lafiya Dole.

According to a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, "the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has destroyed some logistics facilities belonging to Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) at Bakari Gana on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest in Borno State".

He added that "this was achieved in air strikes conducted yesterday, 4 March 2020, as one of the missions marking the commencement of a new air interdiction operation – Operation DECISIVE EDGE – which was initiated to specifically target known BHT hideouts that are inaccessible to ground forces due to the terrain as well as the fact that the approaches to the locations are heavily mined.

"The attack was executed after series of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions confirmed that the BHTs were storing their fuel and other logistics in some huts within Bakari Gana. Accordingly, the ATF detailed its fighter jets to engage the location in 2 waves of attack, recording devastating hits in the target area leading to the destruction of the fuel storage facilities, which were seen, engulfed in flames. Some of the BHT fighters were also neutralized in the process".

It added that, "earlier in the day, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) had also provided close air support as a combination of air and ground operations dealt a decisive blow on the BHTs, neutralizing several of their fighters and destroying some gun trucks. The NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, will sustain the intensity of its air campaign to shape the battlespace in the Northeast for the effective conduct of further ground and air operations."