Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have neutralised an alleged cameraman of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and recovered video materials said to reveal the involvement of three foreign facilitators, including a Palestinian identified as a trainer and a Moroccan serving as a medical doctor for the terrorist group in Borno State.
The Acting Military Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, Capt. Muhammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.
According to the military, the operation followed a failed attempt by suspected ISWAP fighters to infiltrate Cross Kauwa in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State on Saturday night.
Goni said the insurgents attempted to exploit the cover of darkness to breach the troops’ position and loot cholera medical supplies but were repelled by security forces.
“Troops of 19 Brigade, Sector 3, Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, have decisively foiled an attempted infiltration by ISWAP terrorists into Cross Kauwa, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, inflicting heavy casualties on the attackers and forcing them to retreat in disarray,” the statement read.
The military spokesman said the attack occurred at about 10:20 p.m. on July 11, adding that troops swiftly detected the movement of the insurgents and responded with coordinated firepower, forcing them to abandon their mission.
According to him, the attempted looting appeared to support intelligence reports suggesting a cholera outbreak within terrorist camps and allegations that some infected members had been executed by the group.
Goni stated that the killing of the alleged ISWAP cameraman led to the recovery of a Sony camcorder containing operational footage and propaganda materials.
He said preliminary forensic analysis of the videos indicated that the failed operation was coordinated by four senior ISWAP commanders alongside three foreign nationals.
The individuals were identified as Abu Ishaq, described as a Palestinian Arab believed to be the group’s chief trainer; Abu Thaiba, a Moroccan Arab said to be serving as a medical doctor within the terrorist network; and another Arab operative whose identity has yet to be established.
According to the military, the presence of foreign nationals within the insurgent group reinforces intelligence assessments that ISWAP continues to benefit from external support, specialist expertise and transnational terrorist connections.
Following the encounter, troops carried out exploitation operations in the area and recovered the camcorder, several rounds of PKT and 7.62mm special ammunition, terrorist uniforms and other combat materials.
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The military added that preliminary satellite imagery showed insurgents evacuating the bodies of some of their fighters after the clash, while human intelligence sources confirmed that the group suffered heavy casualties, with several members sustaining gunshot wounds.
Two soldiers were also wounded during the exchange of fire and were evacuated by air for medical treatment. The military said both personnel were in stable condition.
Goni described the failed attack as another major setback for ISWAP, noting that sustained military operations across the North-East had continued to weaken the group’s operational capacity.
He reaffirmed Operation Hadin Kai’s commitment to intensifying offensive operations and protecting communities until peace and security are restored across the region.
