About 200 militants were reportedly killed in a violent clash between Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on the shores of Lake Chad near Dogon Chiku in northeastern Nigeria on Sunday, according to a report by AFP.
The report stated that while ISWAP lost roughly 200 fighters, only four Boko Haram insurgents were killed during the intense battle for territorial control in the region.
Babakura Kolo, a member of an anti-jihadist militia assisting the Nigerian military, confirmed to AFP that about 200 ISWAP terrorists were killed in the encounter.
A former Boko Haram jihadist who has renounced his membership of the terrorist group but still monitors militant activities in the area told AFP that roughly “200 ISWAP fighters were killed in the clash” and that several of their weapons were seized.
The ex-militant, who identified himself only as Saddiku, added that Boko Haram lost four of its fighters in the battle.
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“This could be the worst clash between the two groups since they began attacking each other,” said Saddiku, who lives in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State and the epicentre of the insurgency.
A Nigerian intelligence officer working in the region said authorities were monitoring the aftermath of the fighting and estimated that “more than 150” were killed.
“We are aware of the fighting, which is good news to us,” the source said.
Boko Haram and ISWAP have been locked in a rivalry for dominance since their split in 2016 over ideological differences, with most of their confrontations taking place around the Lake Chad region.
(AFP)