NAF conducts air strikes in Borno

The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) yesterday said it carried out two attacks on Boko Haram hideouts in Borno State, to signal the start of Operation Ruwan Wuta II, to further decimate the terrorists.

It added that many insurgents were killed and their structures destroyed.

NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, in a statement, said the operation was carried out after a series of surveillance and intelligence reports.

The statement reads: “The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) has begun Operation Ruwan Wuta II, as part of efforts to further decimate Boko Haram terrorists.

“The operation, which began on October 23, is essentially an intensive day-and-night aerial bombardment to rain significant fire on freshly-discovered Boko Haram hideouts.

“On the first day of the operation, several air interdiction missions were conducted, including one on a location in Garin Maloma.

“Previous intelligence reports, gathered through Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, showed the presence of a large number of terrorists in some dispersed structures in Garin Maloma.

“Consequently, the location was attacked in succession by two Alpha Jet aircraft. The first aircraft attacked the settlement with bombs, which destroyed the targeted structures and caused fire, sending a few survivors scampering for safety.

“The second aircraft, which strafed the area with rockets, took out some of the fleeing terrorists. Their hideouts in Arra and Boboshe, among others, were successfully attacked by the NAF Mi-17 helicopter and the newly acquired Mi-35M helicopter.”

Mallama Fitdasi, wife of Abubakar Shekau, leader of the Boko Haram terrorist organisation, appeared to be one of those killed in the air strikes.

Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya said: “Human Intelligence indicates that the wife of the Boko Haram leader, Mallama Fitdasi, appeared to have been killed in the airstrikes on Durawa settlement.

“Mallama Fitdasi was reported to have been representing her husband in a coordinating meeting with other terrorists.

“Efforts are on to confirm her death.”

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