The Nigerian military says it has neutralised an Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) cameraman and recovered multimedia materials that allegedly reveal the presence of three foreign collaborators operating with the terrorist group in Borno State.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by Muhammed Goni, Acting Information Officer of Headquarters Joint Task Force (North-East) Operation Hadin Kai, the recovered materials identified the foreign operatives as Abu Ishaq, described as a Palestinian Arab and ISWAP’s overall trainer; Abu Thaiba, a Moroccan Arab serving as a medical doctor within the terrorist network; and another Arab operative whose identity has yet to be confirmed.
The military said the breakthrough followed a failed attempt by ISWAP fighters to infiltrate Cross Kauwa in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State on Saturday.
Goni said troops of the 19 Brigade, Sector 3, Operation Hadin Kai, detected the movement of the insurgents under the cover of darkness and responded with coordinated firepower, forcing the attackers to retreat after suffering heavy casualties.
According to the military, the insurgents had planned to loot cholera medical supplies but abandoned the mission after the troops repelled the attack.
The statement added that forensic analysis of footage recovered from a Sony camcorder seized during the operation showed that the failed assault was coordinated by four senior ISWAP commanders alongside the three foreign terrorist facilitators.
The army said the findings reinforced intelligence assessments that ISWAP continues to receive external support, specialist expertise and maintain transnational terrorist links.
The military also said the attempted theft of cholera medical supplies corroborated recent intelligence suggesting a cholera outbreak within terrorist enclaves.
Goni added that post-operation satellite imagery, supported by human intelligence, indicated that insurgents evacuated the bodies of some of their fighters, while several others were believed to have sustained gunshot wounds.
The military disclosed that two soldiers were wounded during the encounter and were evacuated by air for advanced medical treatment.
