By Augustine Osayande
The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE have destroyed suspected Boko Haram terrorists ammunition depot in Kusuma on the fringes of Lake Chad. The team also destroyed the terrorists’ facilities and equipment at Alafa Yagayaga in Sambisa Forest Borno State.
This was disclosed on Friday by Director of Public Relations and Information Nigerian Air Force Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola. He said the air strikes against the terrorists’ group at Alafa Yagayaga were targeted at structures within the settlement that had been identified via previous Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions to be rendezvous (RV) points for the insurgents
“In continuation of OPERATION THUNDER STRIKE 2, the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, on 5 September 2018, successfully destroyed some Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) facilities and equipment at Alafa Yagayaga in Sambisa Forest as well as a suspected BHT ammunition depot in Kusuma on the fringes of Lake Chad, Borno State.
“The air strikes against BHTs at Alafa Yagayaga were targeted at structures within the settlement that had been identified via previous Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions to be rendezvous (RV) points for the insurgents.
“Consequently, a combination of NAF fighter aircraft and helicopter gunships were detailed to carry out air interdiction on the locations, while the NAF ISR aircraft conducted Battle Damage Assessment (BDA). The attack platforms acquired the targets and took turns to attack the location, destroying the structures and killing most of the BHTs in the process” Daramola said
Daramola added that the attack at Kusuma was initiated following credible intelligence indicating the presence of a terrorist’s logistics and ammunition depot within the settlement
“The attack at Kusuma was initiated following credible intelligence indicating the presence of a BHT logistics/ammunition depot within the settlement. Accordingly, the ATF detailed a fighter aircraft to attack the insurgents’ position, while the NAF ISR aircraft conducted BDA.
“At the end of the attacks, the BDA revealed a direct hit on the ammunition depot, which was engulfed in fire while some other adjoining BHT structures were equally destroyed and the occupying terrorists neutralized,” Daramola said
The NAF spokesman also revealed that the few surviving terrorists seen fleeing the area were strafed and neutralized by the helicopter gunships.
