Clashes between Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have left about 200 militants dead in the Lake Chad area, according to intelligence and militia sources.
The fighting broke out on Sunday in Dogon Chiku, a territory on the shores of Lake Chad that has become a flashpoint for control between the rival jihadist factions.
Babakura Kolo, a member of a local militia assisting the Nigerian military, told AFP that “around 200 ISWAP terrorists were killed in the fight”.
Saddiku, a former Boko Haram fighter who has renounced violence but monitors jihadist activities in the region, also confirmed the casualty estimate and said several weapons were seized from ISWAP.
He said Boko Haram lost four fighters in the clash.
“This could be the worst clash between the two groups since they began attacking each other,” Saddiku said, adding that he lives in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state.
A Nigerian intelligence source monitoring the region said they were tracking the aftermath of the hostilities and estimated that “more than 150” ISWAP members were killed.
“We are aware of the fighting, which is good news to us,” the source said.
Boko Haram and ISWAP split in 2016 due to ideological differences, prompting repeated battles for influence and territory around the Lake Chad basin.