Breaking News: Borno Community is being attacked by ISWAP fighters

The Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters are currently attacking the Borno Community.

No actions were taken before the deadly group stormed Askira town hours after civilians claimed they reported the movement of the terrorists to security forces.

The suspected fighters of the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) are currently in a gun duel with troops at a military base in the Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.

Some civilians said they sighted the ISWAP fighters in a long convoy of gun trucks along Ngude axis towards Askira, early this morning.

The civilians had stated that they reported the movement of the terrorists to security forces but no action was taken before the deadly group attack Askira town hours later.

The Deputy Speaker of Borno House Assembly, Engr Abdullahi Musa Askira confirmed the attacks by telling Daily Trust that the insurgents and troops are currently exchanging gunfire.

He said;

“Yes, ISWAP is currently attacking Askira town. I was reliably informed that our troops are fighting them, but the residents are in the bush.

“My people told me that the insurgents came with about 16-gun trucks and there is confusion in the whole town now”.

Yakubu Luka, a member of the civilian Joint Task Force declared that the attackers went to the military base immediately they stormed the town.

“We are expecting a reinforcement from the nearby community, as I am speaking with you heavy gunfire is ongoing.”

“We are appealing to the authorities to send fighter jets to support the ground soldiers. We are outnumbered; we only have five-gun trucks with us.” Yakubu said.

Up till now, the causality figures have not been determined yet.

The Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) is a militant group and administrative division of the Islamic State (IS), a Salafi jihadist militant group and unrecognized proto-state.

ISWAP is primarily active in the Chad Basin, and fights an extensive insurgency against the states of Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. It is an offshoot of Boko Haram with which it has a violent rivalry; Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau killed himself in battle with ISWAP in 2021.

ISWAP is the umbrella organization for all IS factions in West Africa including the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (IS-GS), although the actual ties between ISWAP and IS-GS are limited.