Scores of high-profile Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists were killed by Nigerian Air Force, NAF, military jets at the enclave of Fiya Ba Yuram, in Sambisa Forest, over the weekend.
Fiya Ba Yuram, a notorious terrorist, is the current leader of ISWAP in Sambisa Forest in Borno, Northeastern Nigeria is rumoured to have been killed in the omslaught but not comfirmation from the Nigerian troops yet..
Yuram took over the leadership of the ISWAP insurgent group, following the killing of Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, last year.
The raid at Fiya Ba Yuram’s enclave followed a credible and actionable intelligence by the Air Component of Operation of Hadin Kai, which revealed that terrorists were gathering for an undisclosed mission.
An intelligence military source said air strikes were then authorised and launched on the location, following the intelligence.
He said, “An assessment of the location after the strikes revealed it to be successful, though it remained unconfirmed if Fiya Ba Yuram was among the terrorists neutralised in the strikes.”
Meanwhile, similar air strikes were also launched on Tunbuns near Lake Chad after suspected terrorists’ activities were observed in the area believed to be a training camp for ISWAP fighters, PRNigeria also gathered from another military intelligence officer.
“The targets were subsequently acquired and engulfed in flames all after. The aftermath of the airstrike revealed that pandemonium broke out as the remnant of surviving terrorists took cover under nearby trees which were later struck by the aircraft,” the officer disclosed.
The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet confirmed the strikes to PRNigeria, saying, “Yes, strikes were carried out on some specific targets in the Tunbuns and Sambisa with varying degrees of successes recorded. The NAF won’t however be drawn into the details of those neutralised.”
