A new conflict has reportedly broken out between two rival Boko Haram factions in Borno State. Fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) ambushed members of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), resulting in the death of several senior commanders.
Security analyst Zagazola Makama reported that the attack occurred near Bula Murge in Bama Local Government Area. The ambush took place in the Gargash area, about 11 kilometers north of Miyanti and 26 kilometers northeast of Bama, where ISWAP fighters launched a surprise assault on the rival faction.
The attack inflicted heavy casualties on the JAS faction, with several key commanders feared dead. Among those reportedly killed were Abu Ubaida, Modu Kori, Alhaji Modu, Mure, Zarkawi, Sheriff, and Modu Maye, all prominent figures within JAS operations in the area.
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Intercepted communications suggested that surviving JAS fighters began moving their women and children to Bula Daloye after their camps were overrun. The attack left the fighters in disarray, prompting plans to evacuate families following the destruction of their camps.
Bula Murge and Nguro Bafuye, two settlements previously occupied by JAS, were reportedly set ablaze during the assault, destroying key shelters and logistics facilities. Security sources indicated that this confrontation significantly weakened the JAS faction and created an opportunity for troops to intensify counter-insurgency operations in the region.
Military authorities have directed troops around Miyanti, Bama, Kumshe, and neighboring communities to maintain offensive operations to prevent either faction from regrouping or establishing new bases. Security commanders have been urged to keep up pressure on both insurgent factions as part of ongoing efforts to further degrade their capabilities across the southern fringes of the Sambisa Forest.
