ISWAP Commander Abu Hassan Reportedly Killed in Failed Borno Attack

A senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), identified as Abu Hassan, has reportedly been killed during a failed attack on Cross Kauwa in Borno State, in what security sources described as a major setback for the terrorist group.

The development was disclosed on Sunday by security analyst Zagazola Makama in a post on X, citing intelligence sources familiar with the operation.

According to the report, Abu Hassan was one of ISWAP’s top Qaids operating from the Tumbunma axis of the Lake Chad region and was among the commanders who personally led the attempted assault on Cross Kauwa.

The attack, however, reportedly failed after security forces resisted the terrorists, leading to the death of Abu Hassan during the confrontation.

The report further stated that an unidentified foreign fighter, believed to be of Arab origin, was also killed during the operation.

Another senior ISWAP commander, Aliyi Zabarmari, who reportedly led fighters from the Tumbunma enclave, was said to have sustained a serious gunshot wound that fractured his thigh.

Intelligence sources also disclosed that another foreign fighter, also believed to be an Arab national, remained missing following the failed attack.

Security officials quoted in the report described the casualties as significant because those affected were among the key commanders responsible for coordinating ISWAP operations across communities around the Lake Chad basin.

According to the intelligence assessment, the loss of experienced field commanders could temporarily weaken the group’s operational capacity and affect its ability to organise future attacks within the region.

The identities of the missing foreign fighter and other casualties have yet to be independently confirmed by Nigerian military authorities.

Neither the Defence Headquarters nor Operation HADIN KAI had issued an official statement on the reported deaths and injuries as of the time of filing this report.

Borno State has remained one of the epicentres of insurgent activities in Nigeria despite sustained military operations aimed at dismantling terrorist camps and restoring security across the North-East.

In recent months, troops have intensified offensives against ISWAP and Boko Haram enclaves, leading to the elimination of several insurgents, recovery of weapons and destruction of terrorist hideouts.

Security agencies have repeatedly assured residents that ongoing military operations will continue until insurgent activities are decisively curtailed and lasting peace is restored to affected communities across the North-East.