Nigerian Air Force Kill terrorists’ commander and 32 IS fighters
Abuja,
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) conducted air strikes in the northeast region to eliminate terrorists, leading to the elimination of Ba’a Shuwa, the Nigerian head of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), along with 32 IS fighters.
Ba’a Shuwa led the Nigerian ISWAP terrorists, a faction affiliated with ISIS that operated across several villages in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno State and border areas with Chad, Niger, and Cameroon in the Lake Chad region.
Zagazola Makama, an expert in counter-insurgency and a security analyst in the Lake Chad area, verified the significant attack. He stated that the powerful airstrikes conducted at the beginning of January specifically aimed at Kwatan Dilla within the Abadam local government area of Borno state.
He stated that following the strike, there was footage demonstrating the neutralization of numerous enemy elements and equipment due to exploitation.
Shuwa assumed the position in 2021 following the self-inflicted death of Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the Boko Haram insurgents.
He led terrorist groups in various camps such as Chiralia, Markas Kauwa, Abirma, Buk, Abulam, Dusula, Abbagajiri, Gorgore, and numerous others situated in the Timbuktu and Alagarno regions of Southern Borno.
A few of his key leaders consist of Khalid Hanzala, Ba’a Idirisa, Rawana, Abou Ibrahim, Mallam Abubakar, Abou Aisha, and Abou Khalid, the individual accountable for the recent assault on power facilities along the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway.
Ba’a Shuwa and his terrorist factions predominantly bear the responsibility for carrying out assaults, ambushes, and deploying IEDs/mines along the roads of Damboa, Damaturu-Maiduguri, Askira, Buratai, Buni Yadi, Buni Gari, Gaidam, and various areas across Borno and Yobe states.
He mentioned that the terrorists were concealed in strongly protected shelters beneath dense vegetation and rocks, cleverly hidden and blended in to avoid airstrikes within the Timbuktu Triangle located in the Sambisa Forest.
Additionally, AVM Edward Gabkwet, the Director of Public Relations and Information at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), announced on Sunday, January 7th, in Abuja that a further operation had been conducted in Parisu resulting in the elimination of 12 terrorists.
He clarified that the Air Force conducted the attack upon finding out that terrorists were transporting suspected weaponry and ammunition into that specific region.
He mentioned that Parisu, situated close to Sambisa Forest, used to be a stronghold for terrorists but was deserted after military forces eliminated terrorist presence in the area.
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He mentioned that the gathering of the terrorists in that area led to suspicion regarding their intentions and plans, prompting the decision to launch an attack on the site.
As per his account, the strikes led to a significant fireball emerging from two nearby locations, while some of the remaining terrorists were observed hurriedly seeking refuge.
“Feedback also revealed that 12 terrorists were neutralized in the strike and their logistics destroyed, thereby reducing their ability to attack soft targets and their own troops.
“Similar strikes were also carried out at a location about 1.5km southwest of Tumbun Agiri within the Tumbuns in the Lake Chad region on January 6.
“Intelligence gathered over time had revealed the continuous gathering of armed terrorists in pick-up vehicles and motorcycles, hence the go-ahead to attack the location.
“The precision strikes on the location resulted in the destruction of the vehicles and motorcycles as well as the elimination of several terrorists,” he said.
Gabkwet reported that during an aerial reconnaissance mission on January 2, 2024, the air unit targeted unspecified locations in Tumbun Alura.
He mentioned that the objectives, which included three canoes, were seen carrying suspected Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
He stated that they were later involved in a significant explosion that was witnessed afterward.
“Similar successful attacks were also carried out at Tumbun Buwari and Sabon Tumbun on terrorist structures within the Lake Chad region,” he added.
Nigerian Air Force Kill terrorists’ commander and 32 IS fighters