Nigerian Military Launches Successful Airstrike, Killing Terrorists in Zamfara
The military had been tipped that the terrorists wanted to establish a permanent camp in the community to strengthen their operations.
Nigerian soldiers, in collaboration with the Community Protection Guards (CPGs), launched a fierce attack on Jan. 21 against terrorists sieging the Tungar Yara community in Zamfara, North West Nigeria. The community is 3 km from the military cantonment in the Gwashi town of the state, but terrorists had taken over the affairs of the place until this recent operation.
When the security operatives reached the village outskirts, they met terrorists waiting for their arrival, armed to the teeth, engaging them in a gun duel that lasted hours. The army later called for reinforcement, killing 11 terrorists and injuring several others.
Locals from Tungar Yara and Gwashi communities told HumAngle that no soldier was killed, but the terrorists set two armoured vehicles ablaze during the raid at Bakin Gebe, where the vehicles got stuck. The military had been tipped that the terrorists wanted to establish a permanent camp in the community to strengthen their operations.
“We were just in small numbers when we went to make sure that no camp was established at Tungar Yara village. We narrowly escaped from terrorists’ deadly gunshots. But we killed a lot of them before running out of bullets,” a top military source told HumAngle, asking not to be named over fear of reprehension.
Locals in Gwashi said they saw two fighter jets hovering around areas of terrorist camps in Gando and Baruba around 4 p.m.
“We were shattered when we saw fighter jets roaming around the air coming from the east to the west heading to Gando camp, and we seriously feared that another airstrike glitch was going to happen to us, the innocent civilians, like what was done in Maradun. We shouted to the peak screaming at the event. Only to hear a heavy sound of bombardments at the Gando forest location,” Abdulbaki Umar, a resident of Gwashi told HumAngle.
Balamu Buwai, one of the residents from Tungar Yara village, told HumAngle that “these terrorists are from Gando forest camp extending their territorial influence on communities around them. We declined their offer of conscripting us into their job by turning our village into their satellite camp. Many of us fled the area. But significant numbers of our fellow farmers chose to stay in exchange for peace and their routine farming activities.”
Malam Mani, the village head of Tungar Yara, said: “This time, we are confident that our people may return to the village if the security operatives sustain the fight to the logical conclusion. Otherwise, either Bello Kaura or Falando, terrorist leaders of Sumke and Gando forest camps, respectively, will achieve their goals of establishing a camp here in Tungar Yara village.
“I think one of the reasons each is desperate to open a camp here is that Tungar Yara is separated by two river streams between Gwashi (where the military are present) and the Tungar Yara villages. We figured out they [terrorists] would use our village to monitor movements of the security operatives across insecure areas.”
Nigerian soldiers and Community Protection Guards (CPGs) launched an assault on January 21 to reclaim the Tungar Yara community in Zamfara, North West Nigeria, from terrorists.
A fierce gun battle ensued on the village outskirts, during which the army called for reinforcement, successfully killing 11 terrorists and injuring others.
Despite the attack, no soldiers were killed, although two armored vehicles were set ablaze by terrorists. The military had received intelligence that terrorists aimed to establish a permanent camp in the area.
Locals expressed concern about fighter jets flying over terrorist camps in Gando and Baruba, fearing collateral damage following previous airstrike incidents. Residents of Tungar Yara had resisted being conscripted by terrorists aiming to create a satellite camp and maintain dominance over local communities. Malam Mani, the village head, indicated a cautious optimism that residents might eventually return, contingent on continued military action to prevent terrorist leaders from establishing a foothold in Tungar Yara.
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