Scores of fighters have been killed following a week-long violent clash between rival terrorist groups, Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), across the Sambisa Forest and Mandara Mountains in Borno State.
The renewed hostilities reportedly began on January 3, when ISWAP launched a coordinated attack on Boko Haram camps around the Ali Ngulde axis of the Mandara Mountains.
The raid was said to be led by two senior ISWAP commanders, identified as Jundullah and Ibn Hataf.
Sources disclosed that Boko Haram fighters, under the command of a field leader known as Abu-Rijal (Ba-Sulhu), mounted a fierce counter-ambush, resulting in the deaths of dozens of ISWAP fighters. Several others were reportedly captured alive, while their weapons were seized during the confrontation.
Footage that resurfaced during the week, allegedly obtained by security analyst, purportedly shows captured ISWAP fighters being executed, highlighting the extreme brutality that continues to characterize the rivalry between the two groups in the Lake Chad region.
Weapons recovered during the clashes included AK-47 rifles, a general-purpose machine gun, an anti-aircraft gun, and assorted ammunition.
However, the balance of power reportedly shifted on January 6, when ISWAP fighters launched a retaliatory assault on a Boko Haram stronghold in the Sabil Huda axis.
After hours of intense gun battles, ISWAP forces were said to have overrun the camp, killing at least 12 Boko Haram fighters and seizing additional weapons.
The renewed violence reportedly triggered panic within Boko Haram ranks, forcing the relocation of families, women, and children from affected camps to safer areas around the Yale General axis.
Sources also revealed that night operations were conducted to pursue fleeing fighters, though no further confirmed clashes had been recorded as of Wednesday.
Security sources warn that the renewed bloodshed underscores the deepening rivalry between Boko Haram and ISWAP, driven by ideological differences, leadership struggles, and competition for territory and resources.
Intelligence reports indicate that both factions are currently re-arming and repositioning, raising fears of more deadly confrontations in the days ahead.
