Dozens killed as ISWAP, B/Haram clash in Borno

Another fierce battle broke out between late Abubakar Shekau Boko Haram faction and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Thursday that led to the killing of a commander simply identified as “Kundu” and dozens of fighters.

The fight happened between Dikwa and Bama local government areas. 

A security source said that Kundu and his team were on a robbery mission when the ISWAP intercepted them on six motorcycles, each conveying three fighters.

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Zagazola Makama, a security analyst and a counter insurgency in Lake Chad confirmed the fight.

He said, “A heavy fight ensued between the terrorists resulting to dozens of casualties on the side of the Boko Haram terrorists, while few ISWAP terrorists were wounded.

“The Boko Haram terrorists took to their heels leaving their motorcycles to the ISWAP terrorists.” 

In another incident, Nigerian troops struck the enclaves of ISWAP in multiple operations, killing scores of terrorists including three commanders in the Lake Chad Basin. 

It was learnt that military jets Super Tucano in well coordinated by the air component of Operations Hadin Kai destroyed three camps in the northern part of the Borno State. 

It was gathered that the strikes coordinated by the Air Task Force (ATF), Operation Hadin Kai, targeting the terrorists’ hideouts in Rino, Jibularam and Kangarwa in Marte and Kukawa local government areas was Launched in the early hours of September 14.

A top military officer told our correspondent that many fighters were killed during multiple airstrikes in Lake Chad between Tuesday and Thursday. 

Makama, who also confirmed the operations, said that the first damaging air interdiction targeted a hideout of the terrorist and a training camp in Rinu, killing an unspecified number of the fighters.

Sources said that ATF conducted another bombing raid in Jibularam which resulted in the killing of three commanders of the ISWAP and many other fighters.

A source gave the names of the commanders as Muhammed Balge, a chief prosecutor; Malam Chiroma, his second in command; and Amir Bashir, a.k.a Iblis, who was a sniper and the militants’ marksman. 

“In another feat, which followed a credible and actionable intelligence obtained by the air component of Operation Hadin Kai, the troops neutralized many terrorists moving in two vehicles in the axis of Kangarwa in Kukawa LGA. 

“On receipt of the distress call, NAF aircraft immediately scrambled to the location where they intercepted and neutralised several terrorists. Troops’ deployment around the area revealed that the terrorists suffered heavy casualties from the airstrikes,” the military source said.