The Nigerian Air Force said it has killed 20 suspected commanders and members of the Islamic State in West Africa Province at Bukar Meram, and Dole, in Borno State.
They were killed during an airstrike, according to the Defence Headquarters.
Troops of Operation Hail Storm, the air component of Operation Lafiya Dole carried out the operations on Monday at the fringes of the Lake Chad region where the terrorists including some of their leaders were killed, the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.Gen. John Enenche, said in a statement on Wednesday.
According to him, the airstrike destroyed Bukar Meram, a logistics hub of ISWAP leaders.
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The statement titled, ‘Operation Hail Storm: Air Task Force clears ISWAP leaders and logistics facilities at Bukar Meram, neutralises fighters at Dole in Borno State,’ read in part: “In continuation of airstrikes being conducted under subsidiary Operation Hail Storm, the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole has successfully neutralised some ISWAP commanders and knocked out logistics facilities at Bukar Meram on the fringes of the Lake Chad in Borno State, while also neutralising several terrorists at Dole, a settlement in the Southern part of Borno State.”
Enenche said Bukar Meram, a major ISWAP logistics hub linking other island settlements of the Lake Chad, which also housed several of their fighters and some of their key leaders, was attacked by “an enhanced force package of Nigerian Air Force fighter jets and helicopter gunships which hit designated targets in the area leading to the destruction of the logistics facilities and neutralization of several of the terrorists and their leaders.”
He disclosed further that the air interdiction missions which were carried out on August 17, followed credible intelligence reports indicating a resurgence of terrorists’ activities in the two settlements.
“The attack at Dole was carried out after Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions showed a buildup of activities in the area after the relocation of some terrorists from nearby settlements of Kokiwa and Yale.
“Over the area, the ISR aircraft spotted no fewer than 20 terrorists in the area, which were taken out by the NAF attack aircraft,” the statement added.
