No fewer than 70 combatants and commanders were killed in.a fierce clash between Boko Haram and its rival terrorist group, ISWAP, Saturday afternoon.
Our Correspondent reports that the in-fighting between the two terrorist rival groups worsened in recent times with a fresh flow arms and combatants from the Sahel ISIS to join ISWAP in the Chad Basin to restrengthen control of the region by the terrorists.
With this development, both terrorists groups, according to reliable sources, have increased their torments on the Niger Republic section of the Lake Chad Basin, forcing numbers of Nigeria refugees in the neighbouring Francophone country to seep back home, leading to the gradual overcrowding of the IDPs camp at Damasak, Mobbar LGA of Borno State.
All along, each of the two rival groups not only want to eliminate the other out of the region but also squeeze out the Multi National Joint Task Force out of the region, in a bid to establish firm control of the Chad Basin.
The Saturday Boko Haram-ISWAP clash, according reports, took place at Tumbum Ali Island in Marte LGA of Borno State at about 2pm.
Sources said it was a retaliatory attack by ISWAP to exact vengeance on Boko Haram over the massive killing of ISWAP fighters by the Buduma factions that had seized most of their hideouts.
According to a Chad Basin security and counter insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, a Counter-Insurgency Expert, six boats belonging to the Bakura Buduma faction and four JAS elements boats, all full with fighters were destroyed.
Although sources said the casualties on both sides could be more than 60, other sources confirm they could in the region of 70, or even more as the fighting continued.
The incessant ISWAP-Boko Haram clashes portrays a three-pronged terror with the MNJTF on one hand and the two rival groups.
