Troops from Nigeria and its regional allies, backed by fighter jets, have invaded Sambisa Forest which is deemed to be the last stronghold of the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents.

Sambisa Forest is located about 100km from Chibok, the community where Boko Haram abducted over 200 female secondary school students a year ago. The girls are believed to have been originally held in the forest in the early days until they were moved to an unknown location.

Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon commenced joint military action against the terror group two months ago which has led to massive gains on the part of the regional force and retreat by the insurgents

“The operations, especially in forest locations, are progressing in defiance of obstacles and land mines placed by the terrorists,” the Nigerian military said in a statement on Wednesday.

The claims by the military can however not be independently verified as there is restriction of movement in several parts of the North east since the upsurge in Boko Haram attacks.

However, a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force confirmed the latest reports of the military’s advance to Al Jazeera. The source said five vigilantes and two soldiers have died in the latest clashes.

Also a Chadian military official told Reuters earlier that troops from Chad and Cameroon troops were ready to attack Sambisa.
Chadian troops were also said to be assembling in Mora, northern Cameroon, ahead of the joint operation, a Cameroonian army official said.