NAF aircraft provide support to repel Boko Haram attack in northern Borno

- The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole continues to decimate Boko Haram terrorists - The ATF recently provided air support for ground forces to repel the terrorists attack at Gashigar in Borno state - A pair of Mi-35 helicopter gunships were scrambled to the location The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole has provided air support for ground forces to repel a Boko Haram terrorist attack at Gashigar in Borno state. According to a statement sent to Legit.ng by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) director of public relations and information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, the operation was carried out over the night of Saturday, October 27 and early morning of Sunday, October 28, following a report from troops at Gashigar that their location was under attack. The statement revealed that a NAF Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform that was on a mission at another location was immediately redirected to Gashigar. READ ALSO: NAF graduates 30 officers from young officers' course in Kaduna “In addition, a pair of Mi-35 helicopter gunships were scrambled to the location,” Air Commodore Daramola added. He further revealed that, “the NAF ISR platform was joined by another from the Nigerien Air Force and they both were able to identify the location of the terrorists, in 13 gun trucks, as they advanced towards the camp from 2 different directions. “They subsequently directed the fire of the helicopter gunships and own ground troops support weapons towards the terrorists. “The combined fire forced the terrorists to retreat from the camp, but noted that, “the terrorists attempted to regroup at a location outside the camp but were again engaged by the helicopter gunships and sent scampering in different directions, with several of them killed or injured in the process.” He stated that, “the ISR platform and helicopters remained within the location providing necessary air support for the troops until the situation was stabilized and threats neutralized,” adding that “the NAF, working in concert with surface forces, will sustain the tempo of operations with a view to destroying all remnants of the terrorists on the fringes of Lake Chad and other areas in Northern Borno.”

 The attack comes days after the ATF of Operation Lafiya Dole destroyed a Boko Haram logistics base, along with some vehicles, at Tumbun Sale in northern Borno state. The operation was conducted on Tuesday, October 23 ISR missions revealed the presence of some Boko Haram terrorists vehicles and several fighters camouflaged under thick vegetation within the area. Nigerian Air Force operations against Boko Haram.