Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
Fighter jets of Air Task Force (ATF); have killed several terrorists with the destruction of Boko Haram gun trucks, after two communities were attacked in Borno state. Sajeri and Auno communities on outskirts of Maiduguri were attacked by insurgents on Monday, forcing many residents to flee for safety in neighbouring communities. The State Police Commissioner, Damian Chukwu, confirmed that the reprisal attacks were to rescue one of the arrested Boko Haram fighters in Auno. He said insurgents’ rescue attempt, was however thwarted with the reinforcement of ground troops and air support for over an hour along Maiduguri-Damaturu road. “The armed terrorists burst from north flank of Sambisa Forest, before launching attacks on two communities,” he said, adding that three people were killed, including an Islamic cleric. The NAF Spokesman, Ibikunle Daramola in a released statement Tuesday in Maiduguri; said that the terrorists were repelled, after providing close air support for ground troops at the attacked communities. He said the terrorists were neutralised, when air task force scrambled a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet and an Mi-35M Helicopter Gunship. He said the fighter jets were also supported by an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, to locate and engage the terrorists with gun trucks. According to him, the ground troops were seen engaging the terrorists, who were in a convoy of gun trucks, in a fierce gun battle. Continuing, he explained: “After deconfliction, the Alpha Jet and Mi-35M took turns in engaging the terrorists causing them to beat an immediate retreat. “In the process, three gun trucks were hit and destroyed while several of their fighters were neutralized. “Some of the survivors, who were seen attempting to flee the location, were taken out in follow-on attacks.”
