 says its air component under Operation HADIN KAI has destroyed a terrorist enclave and neutralised scores of terrorists in the Lake Chad region){kind=link}
By Our Reporter
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says its air component under Operation HADIN KAI has destroyed a terrorist enclave and neutralised scores of terrorists in the Lake Chad region.
This is contained in a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, on Thursday in Abuja.
Ejodame said the successful operation was carried out through precision airstrikes conducted in the early hours of June 10 at METELE in the Northern Tumbuns area of the Lake Chad Basin.
He said the operation followed credible intelligence and subsequent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions which confirmed the presence of a senior terrorist commander and heightened terrorist activities within the area.
According to him, ISR missions also identified terrorist hideouts and other hostile activities around the target location.
“Acting on the intelligence, NAF air assets engaged the identified targets with precision.
“Upon arrival, aircrew observed significant terrorist movement around the concealed structures, confirming the presence of hostile elements,” he said.
Ejodame said the aircraft subsequently carried out precision strikes on the designated targets after positive identification.
He added that post-strike battle damage assessment confirmed the destruction of the terrorist enclave and the neutralisation of scores of terrorists.
The spokesman said the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, commended the personnel involved in the operation.
According to him, the CAS reaffirmed the commitment of the NAF to sustaining pressure on terrorist elements across theatres of operation.
“We will continue to leverage our air power capabilities to locate, strike and destroy terrorist targets wherever they are found.
“The Nigerian Air Force remains resolute in denying terrorists freedom of action and ensuring they have no safe haven within our sovereign territory,” Aneke said.