Military bombs Boko Haram at Sambisa forest, Gwoza

The Nigerian military on Thursday carried out air raids on Sambisa forest and Gwoza in Borno State, Major General Chris Olukolade, director of defence information, said.

The warplanes bombarded caches of weapons and vehicles belonging to Boko Haram in the forest, the military said.

“The death of a large number of terrorists has been recorded while many others are also scampering all over the forest and out of the struck bases,” Olukolade said.

“A concerted air campaign by the Nigerian air force is ongoing in furtherance of the mission to clear terrorists from all their enclaves,” he said.

“The air strikes which today (Thursday) targeted the training camps and logistics dumps of the terrorists in Sambisa forests and parts of Gwoza, have been highly successful as it achieved the aims with required precision.”

Olukolade added that details of casualty would be determined in subsequent phases of the operation.

Sambisa forest gained notoriety last year when more than 200 Chibok girls kidnapped by Boko Haram were taken there. Some of them escaped from Sambisa shortly afterwards but most have remained in captivity ever since.

“Meanwhile, the strikes continue in other locations of the theatre, heralding the advance of troops and other elements of the mission,” he said.

After a year in which Boko Haram seemed to be gaining ground, seizing swathes of territory, killing thousands of people and kidnapping hundreds of mostly women and children, the tide has appeared to turn against them in the past month, as neighbouring countries plagued by cross-border attacks have weighed in.

The military killed more than 300 Boko Haram fighters during an operation to recapture 11 towns and villages since the start of the week, the military said on Wednesday.