Troops of 89 and 97 task force battalions of sector 3, backed by the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole have reportedly inflicted heavy losses on the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) at Mallam Fatori in the northern part of Borno state.

A statement from the Nigerian Air Force says the terrorists were routed in a joint counteroffensive operation on Wednesday the following intelligence reports on the movement ISWAP fighters in some gun trucks towards the troops’ location.

The ATF immediately scrambled two attack aircraft to provide close air support for the ground troops as they engaged the terrorists.

According to the statement, the combined intensive fire targetting the terrorists from the air and on the ground forced them to retreat.

However, two gun trucks belonging to the insurgents were destroyed in the first wave, while the attack platforms also tracked the fleeing terrorists, immobilizing two more gun trucks and killing some of the escaping fighters.

(Channels TV)