By RONALD MUTUM

The Nigeria military, on Tuesday, said the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole took out some leaders of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) elements operating in the Island settlements of the Lake Chad in the Northern part of Borno State.

In a statement, the coordinator of Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, said this occurred on 24 August 2020 in air strikes executed under the subsidiary ‘Operation Hail Storm’ at Kirta Wulgo and Sabon Tumbun, two settlements on the fringes of the Lake, where several key ISWAP leaders and scores of their fighters were killed.

He said the missions were conducted after credible Human Intelligence (HUMINT) reports indicating that some ISWAP leaders and fighters had relocated to Sabon Tumbun due to the impact of the recent air strikes at the nearby Island settlement of Tumbuma Baba.

He added that up to 15 high ranking ISWAP commanders along with scores of their fighters were harboured at Kirta Wulgo, which serves as the administrative headquarters and training camp for ISWAP.

He said; “the Air Task Force dispatched an enhanced force package of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets and helicopter gunships to attack the two locations, scoring devastating hits, leading to the elimination of several of the terrorists.

“Prominent terrorists’ leaders, including Abu Imraana, ISWAP Naval Commander, as well as Mallam Ibrahim and Mallam Abba, are believed to be among the many ISWAP casualties,” the statement said.

Northeastern part of the country has been facing constant attacks from the terrorists despite military’s assaults.

Suspected members of ISWAP had, last week, taken hundreds of hostages in Borno State, according to AFP reports.

It was gathered that the Jihadists, linked to the Islamic State group, late Tuesday overran Kukawa in the Lake Chad region, seizing people who had just returned to their homes after spending two years in a displacement camp, said Babakura Kolo, head of a local militia.

In June, at least 20 soldiers and more than 40 civilians were killed and hundreds injured in twin attacks carried out by the group.

The group, in the penultimate month, had also killed at least 81 people in a raid on a village in Gobiyo Local government area of Borno State. (Daily Trust)

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