The Nigerian military says the air component of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) has eliminated about 38 suspected terrorists in a series of precision air strikes conducted against terrorist concentrations in Borno state.
According to the report, the coordinated strikes, involving multiple precision strike air platforms, were conducted after intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions identified movements of suspected terrorists in separate locations.
The operations were reportedly carried out between the night of August 21 and the early hours of August 22, as part of intensified efforts to dismantle terrorist formations and disrupt their freedom of movement in the north-east.
A statement by Captain Mohammed Goni, the acting military information officer, an armed reconnaissance platform was operating over Aduwa, at about 10:23 pm on August 21, when it received intelligence about the presence of terrorist vehicles and fighters in the area.
Goni said the team conducted surveillance of the location and subsequently tracked the suspected terrorists to a settlement where a group of about eight fighters had gathered in one location, while several other groups were observed in different positions.
The statement added that following appropriate operational procedures and authorisation, the platform conducted a precision strike against the larger concentration.
The battle damage assessment indicated that the strike hit the intended target, with suspected terrorists inside makeshift structures and others outside the huts eliminated.
The initial strike was assessed to have reportedly neutralised approximately 16 terrorists.
Also, at about midnight, the precision platform continued surveillance of the area and tracked approximately 10 terrorists who had fled from the initial strike location and regrouped near a tree.
The aircraft subsequently conducted another strike on the fleeing group.
According to the military, subsequent battle damage assessment indicated that the weapon struck the intended target.
No movement was observed around the strike location, leading the military to assess that the 10 terrorists were neutralised. The combined precision strike operations, therefore, accounted for approximately 26 terrorists.
In a separate operation, another precision strike platform conducted a strike against suspected terrorists after tracking a group of about 12 fighters to a hut around Buratai area of the state.
The platform maintained surveillance over the target before receiving the necessary authorisation to engage.
At about 12:31am on August 22, the attack platform conducted the strike, achieving a direct hit on the identified target.
The engagement was reportedly assessed to have neutralised all 12 suspected terrorists gathered at the location.
