A joint air and ground operations of the Nigerian armed
forces, has killed over 200 members of Islamic State West Africa Province
(ISWAP) including five of their commanders.
A top military source, and people with insider knowledge of happenings in the North East and locals told Daily Trust yesterday that the terrorists were neutralized by the Nigerian security forces in some of their hideouts near Bama in the central part of Borno State.
Ground troops and the Nigeria Air Force had conducted operations between
Thursday and Friday, September 1 and 2 on many locations infested by ISWAP
terrorists.
According to the locals, the operations
had yielded results with over 200 fighters reported to have been killed and
over 70 who fled were drowned while trying to cross a river.
The sources averred
that the terrorists were struck severally for over 48 hours, culminating in the successes recorded by the
military.
“It was an operation conducted by the Air Force component of the military and
troops of 199 special forces and 222 battalions,” a military operative said.
“They targeted the terrorists’ hideouts in Gabchari, Sheruri, Mantari and
Mallum Masari,” he said. Another military source said, “In a well-planned and
coordinated attack by aircraft and ground troops, terrorists’ locations at
Gabchari near Bama were truck severally and mopped up after the terrorists were
observed fleeing upon sighting ground troops.
“Subsequently, aircraft under the Air Component were immediately scrambled to
provide close air support (CAS) and engage the terrorists in successive passes.
The strikes were deemed successful as lifeless bodies of terrorists were
observed around the points of impact.
“This has also been collaborated by local sources who have expressed delight
with the increased rate on attacks on terrorists and their enclaves, a
situation that has allowed some of them to return to their homes and tend to
their farms.
“Intel from various sources also indicated that over 200 terrorists were
neutralized by the joint efforts of both air and ground troops including five
ISWAP commanders. After the air strikes, the aircraft maintained close air
support on the withdrawing troops until they returned back to base,” he said.
NAF spokesman,
Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet said that the successful strikes and ground
attacks around Bama were classical examples of the centrality of jointness as a
critical factor in operational success.
“But we aren’t carried away with this success as we shall continue to take the
fight to the enemy until they lay down their arms,” he said.
It was learnt that the villages attacked by the military are located on the
fringes of Sambisa forest.
A counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in Lake
Chad identified as Zagazola Makama posited that that an early damage assessment
showed that the successful operation led to the elimination of high-ranking
commanders including Abou Hauwa (Munzir), Amir Shettima, Akura Buri(Nakif), Abou
Zainab, Abou Idris and their Fighters.
Makama further averred that the ground troops had during the raid, stormed a
hideout of the terrorists in Gafchari, where they engaged the troops in a gun
battle leading to the killing of over 30 fighters while others escaped with
bullet wounds.
“Similar strikes were also undertaken at Sheruri when the combat aircraft
attacked another location of fighters deployed to stage an ambush against own
ground troops,” the source said.
“In Gaizuwa, the troops destroyed two vehicles and the home of Abou Iklilima
which used to be hideouts to insurgent leaders. Other makeshift tents and
properties belonging to terrorists were also destroyed.
“Additional 9 bodies who died as a result of bullet wounds were recovered
around the bushes in Gaizuwa, among them were two Boko Haram Commanders
including; Abou Zainab, Abou Idris.”
A community leader in Bama said they saw fighter jets conducting air
interdiction missions against the insurgents which resulted in neutralising
dozens of fighters.
“It was evidently a successful mission and we hope our military operatives
would continue to succeed,” he said.
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