Troops kill 15, rescue 41 women, children

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May 18, 2016 12:39 PM

The Nigeria troops fighting Boko Haram insurgents inside Sambisa Forest have killed 15 terrorist and rescued 41 women and children held hostage.

Some soldiers displaying Boko Haram flag after capturing their camps in Sambisa Forest.

Officials say the successes were recorded in continuation with the special clearance and rescue operations otherwise known as Operation CRACKDOWN, within the Sambisa forest.

According to army spokesman Col Sani Usman Kukasheka, troops of 7 Division had on Tuesday, May 17, 2016, cleared Boko Haram terrorists out of their Njimia camp within Sambisa forest.

"While advancing earlier in the morning on the same day, the troops also cleared Boko Haram terrorists camps at Alafa, where they encountered heavy resistance from Boko Haram terrorists and killed 15 of them," Kukasheka said.

"The troops continued their advance through Alafa Main, Alafa Extension and Alafa Yaga-yaga, where they cleared remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists hibernating there before arriving at their main objective, Njimia."

"Apart from destroying the camps, the troops rescued 41 hostages who were mostly women and children. The troops also recovered 2 dane guns, several vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles belonging to the terrorists."

"One significant aspect of this feat was the combination of ground forces assault, Nigerian Air Force Jets provision for combat air support and monitoring of the operation directly by the Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division, on board Air Force reconnaissance aircraft," the army statement said.

"It is gratifying to note that no casualty was recorded by own troops through the conduct of this operation," the army authority said.

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