Boko Haram Hoists Flags Near Lake Chad, Holds Meetings

Posted by George on Tue 12th Sep, 2017 - tori.ng

The Nigerian Air Force has reportedly neutralized some suspected Boko Haram operatives who camped at remote locations in Borno State.

File Photo

The Nigerian Air Force said on Monday that it sighted two flags hoisted by the Boko Haram terrorists on some buildings in the Zanari area of Borno State, which borders the Lake Chad.

NAF added that its fighter aircraft – the F-7Ni and the Alpha Jet – thereafter struck the buildings and killed an undisclosed number of the insurgents, who held meetings at the location.

The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, who said the Boko Haram flags were sighted on Thursday, September 7, noted that the air strike was part of the Operation Ruwan Wuta launched by the military.

Adesanya said that the objective of the operation was to “further degrade the terrorists from regrouping to cause havoc for our surface forces.”

He said, “We conducted an air interdiction on Boko Haram buildings with two hoisted flags in Zanari. Quite a number of them were earlier spotted from a NAF Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance platform. They were entering the buildings apparently for meetings. The F-7Ni and the Alpha Jet aircraft were detailed to attack the target.

“Our subsequent battle damage assessment revealed that the targeted structures went up in flames, killing its occupants. The operation is aimed at softening the ground for our surface forces to subsequently move in and conduct mop-up operations.”

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army said its troops had killed some Boko Haram terrorists in an ambush and recovered some weapons.