The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), says it has destroyed the hideout of an Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), neutralising some of their fighters at Tongule in the Lake Chad area of Northern Borno.
According to NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, the attack was carried out through the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE.
Operation LAFIYA DOLE, had on February 4, launched OPERATION RATTLE SNAKE III against terrorist elements in the North East of the Country.
Daramola, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja said the Air Interdiction Operation, would target selected locations within the North East in order to further degrade the remnants of the terrorists as well as deny them freedom of action.
The statement read in part: “On Day One of the Operation, air strikes by NAF attack aircraft resulted in the destruction of an Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) hideout as well as the neutralisation of some of their fighters at Tongule in the Lake Chad area of Northern Borno.
“The air strikes were executed following series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, indicating that ISWAP fighters were harboured in some buildings at the southern edge of the settlement.
“Accordingly, the ATF dispatched its fighter jets to engage the location, scoring accurate hits on the designated target leading to the destruction of the structures and the neutralisation of some of the terrorists.”
Daramola restated that the NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, would sustain its air campaign to shape the battlespace in the North East for the effective conduct of further ground and air operations.