30 Killed As ISWAP Terrorists Again Clash With Rival Boko Haram Jihadists

Since both camps split apart over leadership concerns, the competing parties have been attacking communities in the Northeast.
The fighters of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) ambushed a convoy of Boko Haram, killing roughly 30 of them, in what appeared to be a continuation of their protracted inter-rivalry conflict.

Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert, revealed this in a string of tweets on Monday.

Since both camps split apart over leadership concerns, the competing parties have been attacking communities in the Northeast.

Since then, there have been clashes between the groups, and Abubakar Shekau, the commander of Boko Haram, is believed to have died in one of these clashes in 2021.

According to Makama, the recent inter-rivalry clash occurred in Chillaria axis in Abadam, a border community with Niger.

He said the clash which lasted about 13 hours led to the death of 30 fighters on both sides of the terror groups in the Lake Chad region. It reportedly started around 4 pm on Friday, December 30 and ended around 5 am on Saturday, December 31, 2022.

According to him, Boko Haram fighters headed by Abu Umaimah or Bakoura Doro and four other commanders led other fighters to the ISWAP camps at Tumbum Allura and Kangar in the North East of Abadam in Borno state.

Makama quoted a military source as saying, “We have been hearing sounds of heavy gunshots since yesterday (Friday) in the Kangar axis of the state.

“There have been sounds of heavy gun shootings as early as 5am and it continued nonstop.”

It further disclosed, “After a successful dislodgement of the ISWAP terrorists, Doro, the Commander of Boko Haram, later withdrew his militants and headed towards his base in Lele Karya, a border hideout with Niger.”

Four captives, however, escaped from ISWAP prison during the 13-hour clash between the terror groups.

The captives were abducted by ISWAP along Maiduguri-Gajiram Road on August 3, 2022.

Those freed include medical personnel working with one of the humanitarian agencies.