The Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai has neutralised two senior terrorist commanders, Saddam and Saleh Garin Kago, alongside other fighters, in a precision air interdiction (AI) mission at Yuwe in the Sambisa general area of Borno.

Sources who disclosed this to Zagazola said that the early morning strike also eliminated Hussaini Ubaida and Ba Alayi Benbem, while destroying identified terrorist command hideouts and logistics warehouses.

The sources said the mission was executed at about 6:08 a.m. on Friday following confirmatory Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) on structures suspected to be terrorists’ commanders’ hideouts and storage facilities within the Yuwe axis.

“Upon confirmation of the targets, various military aircraft and platforms departed the base to prosecute the mission. On reaching the objective area, the aircraft acquired and engaged the selected targets with precision-guided stores onboard,” he said.

The sources noted that post-strike battle damage assessment indicated that the identified command hubs and warehouses were effectively destroyed, significantly degrading the operational capacity of the terrorists in the Sambisa corridor.

According to the source, efforts were ongoing to confirm the identities of additional casualties resulting from the strike.

The military high command of Operation Hadin Kai has reaffirmed its commitment to sustain intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling terrorist leadership structures, disrupting supply chains and denying insurgents safe havens.

They stressed that the theatre command will continue to work in synergy with the Air component and other security agencies, to intensify its operations to consolidate recent gains and restore lasting peace in the North-East. (Zagazola)