ISWAP Commanders Clash in Deadly Internal Gun Battle Over Failed Attack Plan
A violent internal power struggle has reportedly broken out within the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), leaving several fighters feared dead after rival commanders engaged in a gun battle inside the group’s stronghold in the Timbuktu Triangle.
According to intelligence sources, the clash occurred on Friday following a disagreement between senior ISWAP commanders over a planned attack that was scheduled for the previous night.
Sources said one commander, identified as Abu Ali, allegedly refused to deploy fighters under his command for the operation.
The decision reportedly angered another senior commander, who accused him of undermining the mission and questioned his loyalty to the terrorist group.
The disagreement escalated into an exchange of gunfire between the rival factions within the enclave, one of ISWAP’s key operational bases in the Lake Chad region.
Security sources said several fighters were killed during the confrontation, while one of the rival commanders reportedly died from injuries sustained in the clash. Authorities are still working to verify the identities of those involved and determine the exact casualty figure.
The incident is regarded as one of the most significant cases of internal fighting within ISWAP in recent months, highlighting what intelligence sources describe as growing divisions within the group’s leadership.
According to the sources, tensions had been building for weeks over operational decisions, dwindling resources, and the management of logistics within the enclave.
They said the dispute over the aborted operation merely exposed deeper rivalries, with commanders increasingly competing for influence, manpower, and control of supplies.
The Timbuktu Triangle has long served as one of ISWAP’s principal operational bases, housing commanders, training camps, and logistics facilities used to coordinate attacks across the Lake Chad Basin.
Security analysts believe the latest clash could temporarily weaken the group’s operational effectiveness as mistrust spreads among its commanders and fighters.
“The incident has created divisions within the camp. There is now suspicion among different factions, and this could affect decision-making, logistics and operational planning until the leadership is able to reassert control,” an intelligence source said.
Sources also warned that the reported death of a senior commander could trigger retaliatory violence within the group, further deepening existing divisions.
The internal conflict comes as security forces continue sustained military offensives targeting ISWAP’s leadership, logistics networks, and movements across the Lake Chad region. Although the group remains capable of carrying out attacks, analysts believe continued military pressure has intensified competition over scarce resources, exposing fractures within its command structure and increasing the likelihood of further internal conflict.
