The Nigerian military has carried out a series of air raids on a newly identified terrorists’ hideout near the Lake Chad region, killing dozens of insurgents and destroying their vehicles and weapons. The operation was part of the ongoing counter-insurgency campaign in the north-east of the country, where the militant group Boko Haram and its splinter faction Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have been waging a violent insurgency for more than a decade.
According to a statement by the Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, the air strikes were conducted on Saturday, October 16, 2023, after intelligence reports indicated that the terrorists had relocated from Suwa to Bukar Meram, a settlement close to the border with Niger. The statement said the relocation was likely intended to launch fresh attacks on ground troops and civilians in the area.
The air component of Operation Hadin Kai, the codename for the military operation in the northeast, dispatched two aircraft to target the terrorists’ location. The statement said that feedback from the ground confirmed that the strikes were successful and devastating, as over 37 terrorists were neutralized and over 40 motorcycles and six gun trucks were destroyed.
The statement also said that as the aircraft returned to base, they spotted another set of four gun trucks about six kilometers southwest of Bama, a town in Borno state that the insurgents have repeatedly attacked. The aircrew relayed the coordinates of the location to the land component at Bama, who engaged the terrorists with artillery fire, destroying their gun trucks.
The statement praised the joint operations by the air and land components, with the support of other security agencies, and said that they demonstrated the importance of synergy and cooperation in the fight against terrorism and insurgency. It also said the troops remained resolute and determined to bring the insurgents to their knees.
The military operation came amid renewed efforts by the Nigerian government and its regional allies to end the security crisis in the north-east, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions of people since 2009. The government has also been engaging in dialogue with some repentant insurgents who have surrendered to the authorities in recent months.
The Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu, has repeatedly expressed his commitment to restoring peace and stability in the region and has called on the international community to support his administration’s efforts. He has also vowed to hold accountable those who have committed atrocities against innocent civilians.
Source: PUNCH
