70 Combatants killed in Boko Haram, ISWAP rivalry clash
About 70 combatants and commanders were killed in a clash between Boko Haram and its rival terrorist group, ISWAP on Saturday.
Competent sources told The PUNCH that the in-fighting between the two terrorist rival groups worsened in recent times with a fresh flow of arms and combatants from the Sahel ISIS to join ISWAP in the Chad Basin to restrengthen control of the region by the terrorists.
With this development, both terrorist groups, according to reliable sources, have increased their torments on the Niger Republic section of the Lake Chad Basin, forcing numbers of Nigeria refugees in the neighbouring Francophone country to seep back home, leading to the gradual overcrowding of the IDPs camp at Damasak, Mobbar LGA of Borno State.
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All along, each of the two rival groups not only wants to eliminate the other from the region but also confront the Multi-National Joint Task Force in a bid to establish firm control of the Chad Basin.
The Saturday Boko Haram-ISWAP clash, according to reports, took place at Tumbum Ali Island in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State around 2 pm.
Sources said it was a retaliatory attack by ISWAP to exact vengeance on Boko Haram over the massive killing of ISWAP fighters by the Buduma factions that had seized most of their hideouts.
According to a Chad Basin security and counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, six boats belonging to the Bakura Buduma faction and four JAS elements boats, all full of fighters were destroyed.
Although sources said the casualties on both sides could be more than 60, other sources confirmed they could be in the region of 70, or more as the fighting continued.
The incessant ISWAP-Boko Haram clashes portray a three-pronged terror with the MNJTF on one hand and the two rival groups.
