A Sony camcorder recovered from a deceased ISWAP cameraman has reportedly uncovered the involvement of foreign operatives in the group’s activities in Borno State.
The device was seized by troops from the 19 Brigade, Sector 3, Operation Hadin Kai, after they repelled an attempted ISWAP infiltration at Cross Kauwa in Kukawa Local Government Area.
The attack took place around 10:20 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, when insurgents advanced toward the troops’ position under the cover of darkness. Military sources said soldiers detected the movement and responded with coordinated firepower, forcing the terrorists to abandon their mission and retreat.
Reports indicate the insurgents were trying to steal medical supplies intended for cholera treatment. The military noted that the failed raid aligns with recent intelligence about a cholera outbreak in ISWAP camps, with accounts of infected fighters being executed by the group.
During the firefight, an ISWAP cameraman was killed, and his Sony camcorder—containing operational footage and propaganda materials—was recovered. Preliminary forensic analysis by Operation Hadin Kai revealed that four senior ISWAP commanders coordinated the attack alongside three foreign terrorist facilitators. Among the foreigners identified were Abu Ishaq, a Palestinian Arab believed to be ISWAP’s chief trainer, and Abu Thaiba, a Moroccan medical doctor reportedly operating within the terror network.
The identity of the third foreign operative had yet to be established.
