Borno: How New Operation Against Terrorism Led To Killing Of Top Boko Haram Leaders – Defence Headquarters
Several fighters and unnamed top leaders of Boko Haram terrorists have been killed after the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE destroyed a compound housing the sect at Garin Maloma on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest in Borno State.
The Defence Headquarters in a statement issued on Thursday, disclosed that the feat was achieved through massive air strikes executed to mark the launch of Operation LONG REACH, a new subsidiary operation in the theatre, which commenced on 16 June 2020.
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The statement did not however, disclose names of the top Boko Haram leaders.
According to the statement, the attack at Garin Maloma, which is “a major node in the BHT’s line of communication in the Sambisa Forest axis”, was carried out based “on credible intelligence reports as well as days of surveillance missions indicating that the terrorists had begun using one of the compounds in the settlement for accommodation and training of their fighters.”
The statement gave highlight of how the attack was carried out: “Accordingly, the ATF dispatched an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft and fighter jets to attack the location.
“Overhead the target area, many BHT fighters were observed in the vicinity of settlement, with a few around the solar panel-mounted, High Value Target (HVT) location.
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“The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets engaged the location in successive waves of attacks leading to significant damage to numerous structures as well as killing of several terrorists. Some terrorists, who survived the first few waves and converged around the rubble near the damaged HVT compound, were taken out in subsequent follow-on attacks.”
The statement expressed appreciation of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar to the troops, “directing them to intensify the air offensive against the terrorists and all other enemies of our Great Nation.”
The Operation LONG REACH was flagged off by Air Marshal Abubakar.
