He added that the troops successfully cleared the terrorists’ hideouts at Talala, Ajigin, Mangzum, Abagajiri, Kafa, Dusula, Buk, Malumti and Abulam among others.
The Nigerian Army says it lost three soldiers after successfully clearing 13 Boko Haram hideouts in the Sambisa Forest in one week.
Kinsley Samuel, Deputy Director Public Relations 7 Division of the Army, disclosed this in a statement in Maiduguri on Sunday.
Mr. Samuel, a colonel, said that six soldiers were wounded during the operation while dozens of the insurgents were neutralized by troops.
“Troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE in conjunction with the Nigerian Air Force on Operation DEEP PUNCH has within the past one week embarked on clearance operations to dislodge Boko Haram terrorists from their camps,” he said.
He added that the troops successfully cleared the terrorists’ hideouts at Talala, Ajigin, Mangzum, Abagajiri, Kafa, Dusula, Buk, Malumti and Abulam among others.
“Furtherance of the clearance operations, the troops on Friday, 10th November 2017 while acting on credible information that the terrorists were massing up at certain camps in fringes of Sambisa forest, advanced and cleared the insurgents at Shyadawe-Angwan-Fulani, Shyadawe-Angwan-Bula-Musa and Shyadawe.
“The troops captured two gun trucks, three motorcycles, many bicycles and a laptop containing valuable information. They also located a vandalised and unserviceable tank in one of the camps.
“The remains of the deceased soldiers have been evacuated while those injured are receiving medical treatment at a military hospital,” Mr. Samuel said.
The army’s statement did not explain if the deaths included that of two soldiers killed by a roadside bomb on November 8.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that at about 11 a.m. on that day, troops on patrol to secure the Dikwa-Gamboru Ngala road suffered the IED attack.
The two dead officials include a lieutenant and a corporal (PREMIUM TIMES is withholding their names), both of the 22 Brigade based in Dikwa.
Soldiers on the war front, have also lamented the situation there, saying the army leadership is not doing enough.
“Imagine that soldiers had to write an open letter before troops’ September and October allowance was promised to be released.
“Food vendors have promised to stop supplying food to units if not paid by middle of this month. It has never been this bad,” one of the soldiers said.
