Air Force says terrorists are back in Sambisa forest

dimeji akinloye

July 28, 2017 10:25 AM

The Air Component Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Tajudeen Yusuf, said the terrorists are gradually returning to their former stronghold.

___7063123___https:______static.pulse.com.gh___webservice___escenic___binary___7063123___2017___7___28___11___3

The

At a briefing in Yola, Adamawa State on Thursday, July 27, NAF said the terrorists are gradually returning to Sambisa Forest, their former stronghold.

The Air Component Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, the military operation in the North-East, Air Commodore Tajudeen Yusuf disclosed this to newsmen.

Incessant bombardment of the forest by NAF and the efforts of foot troops had flushed the insurgents out of their 'headquarters.'

Yusuf said NAF fighter jets and attack helicopters had bombed the terrorists' hideouts 108 times between April and July, 2017.

He said, "Intelligence surveillance and Reconnaissance reports through the second quarter of 2017 indicated a gradual return of the Boko Haram terrorist activities to the Sambisa Forest. There have been sightings of a few Boko Haram activities in the Sambisa general area, particularly in Parisu.

"Hence, the air component conducted significant ISR missions in the Sambisa general area. On July 3, an air interdiction mission was conducted on Alagarno Camp. Several solar panels were seen on buildings in the location, which indicated that it was being used as a Command and Control facility.

"The NAF conducted air interdiction missions with the F-7Ni, Alpha jets, L-39ZA, Mi-17 and the Mi-35M attack helicopters to neutralise the Boko Haram terrorist targets within the theatre.

"A total of 108 air interdiction sorties were conducted from April to June 2017."

ALSO READ: Nigerian Air Force clears terrorists' new hideout [Video]

The Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, had also on Thursday expressed shock at the recent massacre of oil workers and military personnel by the terrorists.

Shettima said the latest attack is a setback for the anti-insurgency war.

dimeji akinloye