ABUJA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing coordinated joint assaults on Boko Haram in Nigeria's northeast region will continue until the operation of the terrorists are totally impaired and collapsed, Nigeria's defense headquarters said Monday.
In a statement, Nigeria's defense spokesman, Col. Rabe Abubakar, said to record optimum success in the counter-offensives, Nigerian troops and their counterparts in the Lake Chad Basin have commenced another round of operation to ensure a total blockade of possible escape routes and forestall further infiltration of the terrorist elements into the country and its neighbors.
"To this end, the coordinated operation of the security forces in the contested area designed to dismantle the technical pre-eminence and capabilities of the terrorist group would intensify because the masquerading guerrillas should not be given any breathing space to re-group and re-strategize their campaign," the statement said.
To assist the military in its fight against Boko Haram, the Nigerian defense spokesman called on members of the public to continue supporting security agents by reporting any suspicious movement of persons or vehicles loaded with supplies meant for Boko Haram terrorists enclaves.
The Nigeria-based terrorists have been engaging in an armed struggle with the Nigerian army aided by troops from Chad, Niger, Benin and Cameroon. The ground and aerial offensive by the five-country coalition started in March.
Last Thursday, in an operation supported by Cameroonian troops and the Nigerian air force, seven Boko Haram camps were destroyed and more than a dozen improvised explosive devices found in and near the town detonated in controlled explosions.
On the same day, the Nigerian military said in an effort to end the six-year Boko Haram attacks, it was advancing on the Sambisa forest -- the terror group's stronghold.
Sequel to that, more than 200 Boko Haram fighters surrendered last Friday to Nigerian troops in the northeastern state of Borno.
Boko Haram, whose name means "Western education is forbidden", has killed over 13,000 people and abducted hundreds since starting its operations in 2009.
