Military eliminates ISWAP media chief, top commanders 

The military has announced the killing of Abu Salim al-Barnawi, a senior Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) operative described as the group’s chief photographer and propaganda coordinator, during a failed terrorist attack on a military position in Borno State.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, the military said Abu Salim was among several high-profile terrorists eliminated during the failed infiltration of troops’ position at Cross Kauwa on July 12.

According to the statement, Abu Salim was killed alongside other members of ISWAP’s mobile media unit, including Abu Umar Khattab and Abu Khalid Usman, dealing what the military described as a significant blow to the group’s propaganda machinery.

The military said a video camera used by the terrorists for propaganda production was recovered after the operation, corroborating an earlier statement issued following the attack.

Operation HADIN KAI said intelligence reports indicated that Abu Salim had previously commanded cross-border terrorist raids into neighbouring Cameroon before he was reassigned to ISWAP’s media wing.

In that role, he was allegedly responsible for photographing and filming terrorist operations, producing propaganda materials and promoting extremist narratives aimed at recruiting new members and projecting the group’s strength.

The statement added that the terrorist organisation had acknowledged Abu Salim’s death by publishing an obituary, describing it as further confirmation of the success of ongoing military operations against insurgent groups in the North-East.

The military also disclosed that troops killed several other prominent terrorists during the encounter, including a Syrian national identified as Aliyu Zabarmari, described as a “Quaid,” while another foreign fighter believed to be an Arab mercenary remains missing.

It added that several other insurgents sustained serious injuries as they retreated under heavy military fire.

According to the military, the latest operation has further weakened ISWAP’s operational capability by disrupting its command structure and degrading its ability to produce and disseminate propaganda.

The military maintained that the loss of experienced media operatives would undermine the group’s efforts to recruit fighters, coordinate attacks and project influence.

Operation HADIN KAI said the obituary issued by ISWAP reflected the mounting pressure on the terrorist group and the growing difficulty it faces in replacing experienced operatives eliminated during sustained military offensives.

The Joint Task Force reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining intelligence-led operations aimed at dismantling Boko Haram and ISWAP networks, destroying their logistics and propaganda structures, and restoring lasting peace and security across the North-East.