By Bose Olamide
Contrary to reports that 70 soldiers were killed by the Boko Haram terrorist, the Defence Headquarters on Tuesday gave the figure of the soldiers killed in the Monday ambush as 47, the NATION reports.
Indeed it also revealed that 15 soldiers were wounded.
The Coordinator of the Defence Media Operations, Major General Enenche, said the soldiers were not killed in direct combat with the terrorists.
According to him, the terrorists ambushed the Military vehicle conveying logistics and artillery which included bombs and other weapons and shot at it, resulting in an explosion that killed the soldiers and the insurgents that mounted the ambush.
He said, “we are in a fluid conflict situation between March 23 to 24, troops who were on a clearance and consolidation operation which was successful were ambushed and we suffered some casualties.
“After the successful operation, the troops were heading to Buk when the Boko Haram insurgents shot at the last vehicle conveying supplies and the bombs exploded in the process killing some of the soldiers and all the insurgents that mounted the ambush”.
He added that following the ambush, fighter jets were scrambled and the fleeing insurgents that survived the explosion were neutralised.
“Accordingly, air assets, including an Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform and fighter jets, were immediately scrambled to provide Close Air Support to the troops. While the ISR platform provided situational awareness to the troops, the fighter jets engaged the BHTs, immobilizing a gun truck and neutralizing some of the terrorists. Some others, who attempted to beat a hasty retreat, were mopped up by the jets in follow-on attacks.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria, in furtherance of the objective of restoring peace and security in the Northeast, will continue to sustain the offensive against the enemies of our Nation”.
Enenche stated further that the names and identities of the deceased soldiers were been collated.
