Military clears 630 settlements, rescues 468

 

Theater Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.- Gen.  Ibrahim Attahiru has said that military operations in the North east have been characterised by intensifi ed operations against the Boko Haram terrorists in the last one month.

He also said that the major coordinated air and land operations were conducted to further degrade the terrorists within the period witnessed series of ambushes against the terrorists, fi ghting patrols, clearance operations as well as cordon and search operations.

Speaking at the Headquarters of the Th eater Command, Maiduguri, Attahiru said many terrorists have surrendered to the troops following the highly eff ective and successful operations, others resorted to desperate bid to remain afloat by callously engaging in suicide bombing and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks.

According to him, there were also cases of terrorists carrying out ambushes on own troops as a form of reprisal to prove their perversity which to this end, “the Mobile Strike Teams (MSTs) that are a highly mobile group of Special Forces teams were inaugurated to secure the Main Supply Routes (MSRs) in addition to conducting limited clearance operations.

” Attahiru noted that there were few setbacks but troops remained undaunted in the accomplishment of their mandate, as troops have continued to conduct fi ghting patrols, clearance and ambush operations to rid the hinterlands of fl eeing terrorists and totally dominated the theatre command.

He said: “A total of 82 BHT were killed in combat, 630 settlements were cleared while 468 persons were rescued and handed over to various IDP camps within the period under review.

Some of the operational activities embarked upon by own troops “Troops conducted ambush at suspected BHT route along Logomani –Gamboru axis on 29 Jun 17.

Five BHTs were killed in the ambush operation and troops recovered one AK 47 rifl e with registration number: 565203290, one AK 47 magazine, 3 rounds of 7.

62mm (special) ammunitions, 27 bicycles, 15 machetes and 4 daggers and 2 fuel hoses.

“Troops conducted clearance operations at Musule, Bazanna, Turbuna, Goneri, Muburashe, Murya, Ajira and Durme villages in Dikwa LGA, where 30 persons were rescued and 11 dane guns, 2 pairs of old camoufl age uniform and one Army raincoat believed to have been abandoned by fl eeing BHT elements were recovered.

” He added that troops at Baale in Damboa LGA carried out an ambush targeting fl eeing elements of BHT rummaging for food and logistics.

In that operation one terrorist was killed.

Troops also recovered 2 x bicycles and 2 x jerry cans

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