Military troops have killed 16 terrorists and injured several others in two separate attacks carried out on notorious terrorists and bandits’ hideouts in Kaduna State.

The feat is coming few weeks after the launch of ‘Operation Show no Mercy, to wipe out bandits, terrorists, kidnappers and other criminals disturbing the peace in the state.

Military sources revealed that the air component of Operation Whirl Punch carried out the air interdiction missions against identified terrorists’ hideouts at Alhaji Isiaka location and Kuduru in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on Tuesday.

The strikes, as revealed by reliable sources, were successful as 14 terrorists were eliminated with several others injured, adding that similar strikes were also undertaken at Udawa, along Kaduna – Birnin Gwari Road, in Kaduna State, after receiving intelligence reports of terrorists’ activities of cow rustling in the area.

He said following the distress call, “NAF aircraft were immediately scrambled to the location, where they intercepted and neutralised several terrorists on bikes guiding the rustled herds of cattle. Feedback from local sources and own troops deployment around the area revealed that the terrorists suffered heavy casualties from the airstrikes.”

Confirming the incident, NAF Director, Public Relations, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said: “It is clear from the foregoing that the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies have continued to sustain and maintain their onslaught on terrorists and their activities with varying degrees of successes.

“For as long as Nigerians continue to support the military and other security agencies, through the provision of timely information on activities and movement of terrorists, the end to the current security impasse may just be in sight.”

Also, military troops of Operation Forest Sanity have killed two terrorists in a fierce battle in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, who made the disclosure in a statement, yesterday, said: “In an operational feedback to the Kaduna State Government, it was reported that the troops embarked on the clearance patrol along the Birnin Gwari-Doka-Sabon Layi-Kuriga-Maganda-Farin Ruwa road.

“The troops made contact with the bandits at Farin Ruwa. Two bandits were neutralised in the encounter, as the criminal elements were forced to withdraw under the troops’ superior firepower.

“The Kaduna State government received the development with satisfaction and commended the troops for another successful round of operations. Clearance and fighting patrols continue in the general area.” (Daily Sun)

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