The Nigerian Air Force says it destroyed a terrorists’ hideout in the Northern part of Borno State, killing an unspecified number of militants.

The force said it conducted the airstrikes after its intelligence and surveillance team spotted the militants grouping in the area.

“The air strike on Nov. 1 was initiated when a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform, on confirmatory reconnaissance mission, spotted some ISWAP vehicles under some trees in the area. Accordingly, the ATF scrambled its fighter jets to attack the location, recording successful strikes to immobilize the vehicles,” Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information said in Abuja on Sunday.

“Similarly, a follow-up attack was executed on Nov. 2 after significant activity was observed in another part of the settlement,” he added.

“This occasioned the detailing of attack aircraft to engage the identified areas resulting in the destruction of some terrorists’ structures as well as the neutralization of some of their fighters.”

Nigeria’s northeast has been dogged by conflict for years, as government troops fight to rid the region of militants.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by the conflict, creating a humanitarian concern.

President Muhammad Buhari pledged in his presidential campaigns to defeat terrorism in the West African nation.

The Nigerian forces have made progress in the fight and forced the militants into hiding, though they still stage attacks occasionally, often by using suicide bombers.

(Source: Premium Times)