Airstrikes conducted by the Air Component of the Operation Hadarin Daji, have destroyed bandits’ camps and weapons at Tsibiri and Manya in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, the Armed Forces of Nigeria has said.
Scores of the armed bandits were killed in the Operation, which is part of the newly launched Operation Accord, according to a statement by the Coordinator Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche.
According to the statement: “The air interdiction mission at Tsibiri, which is located 15Km East of Zurmi, was executed on the heels of credible Human Intelligence (HUMINT) reports indicating that the camp, with its clusters of thatched huts nestled close to a group of trees, was being used by the bandits to house their fighters and store their weapons and ammunition.
“Accordingly, two Nigerian Air Force attack helicopters were dispatched to engage the location scoring accurate hits on the target area leading to the destruction of the structures and the weapons and ammunition stored in them as well as the neutralization of bandits in the huts and surrounding bushes.
“The attack helicopters later conducted an air strike on another camp South of Manya, which also resulted in the killing of more armed bandits, including some of their leaders, as they gathered for a meeting at the location.
“The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, commends the Air Component of Operation HADARIN DAJI for their professionalism and directs them to remain resolute whilst continuing to provide close air support for ongoing ground operations, towards accomplishing the directives of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to restore normalcy in the North West and North Central Zones of the country”.