At least 200 killed in clash between jihadist groups in Nigeria

A fierce clash between rival jihadist factions has killed at least 200 people in Nigeria’s volatile Lake Chad region in the northeast, according to intelligence sources, militias and jihadist-linked informants. French news agency AFP reported the incident on Monday.

The fighting broke out on Sunday in the Dogon Chiku area near Lake Chad between local militant group Boko Haram and its rival Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The two groups have long been at odds over ideological differences and control of the area. Babakura Kolo, a member of a militia assisting the Nigerian army, told AFP that according to information received, about 200 Boko Haram militants were killed in the clashes.

Meanwhile, a former Boko Haram member who has renounced violence and now monitors jihadist activities, identifying himself as Sadiku, said around 200 ISWAP fighters were killed and some weapons seized. Boko Haram lost four members in the fighting.

Sadiku, who lives in Maiduguri, capital of Nigeria’s Borno State, said this could be the most intense confrontation between the two groups, as both have begun fighting each other ferociously. A Nigerian intelligence officer working in the region said they were monitoring the post-conflict situation and estimated that more than 150 people had been killed.