Internal ISWAP discord turned violent as Commanders clash, several fighters kills over failed operation
Internal ISWAP discord turned violent as Commanders clash, several fighters kills over failed operation
Internal divisions within the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) reportedly turned deadly after rival commanders engaged in a gun battle in the Timbuktu Triangle, leaving several fighters dead over disagreements surrounding a planned attack.
Counter-terrorism expert Zagazola Makama disclosed the development in a post on X, saying the confrontation erupted following a heated disagreement among senior field commanders over an operation scheduled for the previous night.
According to Makama, one of the commanders, identified as Abu Ali, reportedly declined to deploy fighters under his command for the planned assault, a decision that triggered a fierce confrontation within the terrorist group.
The refusal reportedly infuriated another senior commander, who accused Abu Ali of deliberately sabotaging the operation and questioned his commitment to the group.
Makama said the violent confrontation reflected deeper divisions within the insurgent organisation, rather than a one-off disagreement.
According to him, tensions had been mounting for weeks over operational strategies, dwindling resources and the management of logistics within the enclave.
The planned operation, he said, merely exposed long-standing grievances among rival commanders who have increasingly competed for influence, manpower and control of supplies.
The Timbuktu Triangle, located in the Lake Chad region, has long served as one of ISWAP’s major operational strongholds, housing command centres, training camps and logistics bases from which the group coordinates attacks across parts of the Lake Chad Basin.
