By SUMAILA OGBAJE

The Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI has neutralised more than 18 terrorists and destroyed logistics hubs at Tumbunma Baba, Borno in precision air strikes.

The Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force North East, Capt. Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

Goni said the operation was conducted in the Tumbuns general area by air and ground forces in coordinated action against a known terrorist enclave.

He said the operation followed weeks of intelligence gathering which indicated the presence of high-profile terrorists at meeting and logistics nodes within the islands.

He said further surveillance and confirmatory Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations on Sept. 9 pinpointed terrorist structures and logistics hubs.

According to him, the intelligence-led operation culminated in kinetic strikes in the early hours of Friday.

Goni said that air platforms engaged the identified targets with precision munitions while ground troops occupied likely escape routes for direct-fire engagements.

“The air strikes successfully destroyed the targeted structures and neutralised over 18 terrorist elements,” he said.

Goni said the operation had disrupted terrorist logistics and degraded the enclave’s capacity to serve as a gathering and support base.

He said post-strike assessment indicated an estimated 85 per cent success in achieving the intended operational objectives.

The military spokesman attributed the success to intelligence-led operations, timely ISR confirmation and coordinated employment of air and ground assets.

He said OPHK would sustain intelligence-driven operations to deny terrorists the freedom to operate, regroup or establish logistics infrastructure.

Goni urged members of the public to remain vigilant and provide credible and timely information to security forces. (NAN)