Boko Haram crush ISWAP fighters in deadly lake chad clash

In the latest round of fighting between Boko Haram’s Bakoura Doro faction and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) around the Lake Chad axis, Boko Haram has dealt ISWAP a heavy blow.

Sources in the area told Zagazola Makama that Bakoura Doro’s fighters ambushed an ISWAP convoy on the water, killing hundreds of militants and seizing several boats loaded with weapons and supplies. Only three of ISWAP’s boats reportedly escaped.

The fierce battle left about 170 ISWAP members dead, while Boko Haram lost four fighters. The victors also captured seven boats and a large cache of weapons.

The clash marks one of the bloodiest encounters between the rival extremist groups in recent months, as both sides continue to battle for control of fishing routes, islands, and smuggling corridors across Lake Chad.

Security observers fear ISWAP may launch a retaliatory strike in the coming days to reclaim lost ground.