The Nigerian Air Force has intensified air operations in the North-East and neutralised scores of the insurgents in Tumbun Rago, a settlement at the northern fringes of Borno State.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Adesanya explained that during a routine Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance mission on December 20, a NAF ISR platform sighted insurgents activities at Tumbun Rago, occupied by the Albarnawi faction of Boko Haram.
He said: “Accordingly, fighter aircraft and helicopters were detailed for air interdiction over the location on December 21, the fighter aircraft took turns to unleash their armament on the location.
“Battle Damage Assessment of the attacks revealed that the targeted insurgents structures were destroyed, causing fire within the location and neutralising scores of the insurgents in the process.
“Thereafter, the recently acquired helicopter gunships carried out mop-up attacks on a few fleeing insurgents.
“On December 22, NAF neutralised a large gathering of insurgents South-East of BogumeriI, also in Borno, after a convoy of insurgents on motorcycles had been trailed to the location.”
The director explained further that intensification of air operations by NAF was aimed at further reducing the will of the insurgents to continue their nefarious activities.
Adesanya said: “The intensification of the air operations was also to create the needed advantage for own surface forces to effectively operate.”