Operation Green Sweep: NAF records successes in Borno

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole has commenced “Operation Green Sweep” against Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East.

Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, announced this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja and said that the force had already recorded successful strikes against the insurgents.

He said that the operation which commenced on Wednesday was “air interdiction’’ targeting selected Boko Haram locations within the fringes of Lake Chad and areas around Alagarno Forest near Sambisa in Borno.

Daramola said “this is with a view to further degrading the remnants of the terrorists, curtailing their freedom of action and denying them bases from where they can launch attacks.’’

He said air strikes in the morning of the first day resulted in the neutralisation of many insurgents at Sharama on the Lake Chad Green Fringes.

“The attack was conducted following series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions that showed the presence of significant number of Boko Haram fighters in buildings under trees spread across the settlement.

“Consequently, the ATF dispatched two NAF Alpha Jet aircraft to attack the camp, leading to destruction of some of the structures and equipment as well as the killing of several insurgents,” he said.