In furtherance of its counter-insurgency operations in the Lake Chad Basin areas, the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) Force has activated new Strategies to fight/tackle insurgency as troops recorded more successes and eliminated about 805 Boko Haram/ISWAP Terrorists fighters during clearance operations from March to date (June).
The operations involved land, maritime and air operations to rout out Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters hibernating in the fringes of the Lake Chad.
Force Commander, Major General Abdul Khalifa Ibrahim made this disclosure on Thursday while briefing Journalists on activities of the Multinational Joint Task Force at MNJTF Headquarters N’Djamena, Chad.
The Force Commander said, MNJTF forces comprising Nigerien, Nigerian, Chad, Cameroon and Benin troops with four sectors and headquarters at N’Djamena had been relentless in going after ISWAP terrorists.
General Khalifa pointed out that over 3,000 hostages have been rescued while eight hundred and five insurgents have been neutralised in the clearance operations.
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“Under its current operation code-named, Lake Sanity, the Joint Task Force has reportedly carried out 17 major attacks on strategic enclaves in the area, during which over 4000 of the fighters surrendered” he said.
Though the MNJTF said its improved operations had enabled locals to resume their commuting and commercial activities around the border areas of Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon, the Force Commander however expressed worries over the level of cooperation the troop’s get from the civilian populace.
Gen Ibrahim told the journalists about the people-centric nature of the counter-insurgency operations, saying, “Because we are fighting an unknown enemy – yes sometimes they wear something that looks like uniforms, but they are still difficult to be identified. That’s why we have to be close to the locals”.
He called on the governments of members countries of LCBC to continue to support the troops with logistics and modern arms and ammunition to boost military operations.
He advised the remnants of the insurgents and terrorists groups to lay down their arms and embrace the path of peace.
The MNJTF Commander urged affected communities on the Islands of the Lake Chad to continue to support the military by providing credible information about the activities of the insurgents to achieve sustainable peace in the region.
