. . . Terrorists resort to planting mines to frustrate advancing of ground troops

The Air Components of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) have rained multiple missiles at the abodes of ISWAP Commanders and their training camps in the Lake Chad axis

A military intelligence source told PRNigeria that the coordinated attacks spearheaded by the Nigerien air taskforce were conducted on Thursday, April 14, 2022, at Tumbun Rego

“The Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) of the joint air taskforce on April 13, 2022, specifically sighted a large number of terrorists, a logistics and training camp, about 29 motorcycles and 4 vehicles concealed under trees at Tumbun Rego

“With the credible intelligence, that indicated that the location also served as an abode for some top ISWAP commanders, the joint airstrikes were conducted on April 14 April 2022 which led to the elimination of Key ISWAP leaders including Ibn Usman, Hani Abdullahi, Abakar Shuwa, Abu Jibrillah and Abu Ali.

“Using a mix of NAF and Nigerien Air Force aircraft, the aircraft attacked the adjoining locations that serve as havens of their fighters, followers and families.

“On April 15, 2022, the mop-up operations were conducted by the Nigerian Army under Operation Lake Sanity who have already captured most of the terrorists’ enclaves in Sambisa Forest and with their ongoing onslaught in the Tumbuns.

“The airstrikes and the operations of the ground troops have led to the death of scores of terrorists where many others were seriously injured.”

Meanwhile, in an attempt to frustrate the advancing of ground troops, ISWAP terrorists have devised a new method of planting Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, on highways and operational routes in the North East.

While the troops succeeded in diffusing some of the landmines during their operations, PRNigeria gathered that many innocent travellers have been killed, mostly from locally-manufactured IEDs.

Notorious areas where terrorists plant IEDs are Maiduguri, Damboa, Biu, Bama, Banki, Gwoza, Buni Yadi, Malam Fatori and Kukawa, among others, PRNigeria’s investigation revealed.

Military intelligence sources said it takes a long time for troops to defuse landmines with sweepers.

“Military movements that should take minutes, for instance, takes several hours and sometimes days in scanning and rescanning the environment for IEDs, so as to ensure the safety of troops,” one of the sources told PRNigeria.

Recently, the Theater Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Maj.-Gen. Christopher Musa identified the detection and diffusing of IEDs as a major challenge in the fight against insurgency in the region.

He insisted that “troops must scan areas where it is conducting patrols before going for any operation, and scan again while returning.” (PRNigeria)

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