At least 214 fleeing Boko Haram militants have laid down their weapons, surrendering to the Nigerian Army in the northeast of the country after a deadly clash with the rival ISWAP terrorist group, local media has reported.
ISWAP militants reportedly conducted several attacks on Boko Haram fighters in Mantari and Maimusari in Bama, Borno state. The group dislodged Boko Haram members, killing many of them and forcing those who managed to escape to flee their camps.
Following the attack, the Boko Haram fighters who fled the battlefield reportedly surrendered to Nigerian troops based in Konduga and Banki, Borno state.
Earlier this month, the Nigerian Army ordered the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists in the northeastern region to lay down their arms. The military urged the terrorists to copy the other insurgents who had already surrendered to troops in Borno state, or otherwise face the country's armed forces.
The ISWAP group was previously part of Boko Haram before its split about seven years ago, pledging allegiance to Daesh*. The split was mainly caused by religious and ideological disagreements over Boko Haram's actions, in particular, in targeting civilians, to which ISWAP objected. Since, the groups have been in violent rivalry.
Boko Haram and ISWAP have been at odds for years. In particular, in 2021, the Islamic State's West African branch launched an offensive into the Sambisa Forest, a hideout for Boko Haram. The offensive resulted in the death of the spiritual leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau. Nigerian officials later stated that Shekau killed himself by detonating a suicide vest.
Terrorism and insurgent violence carried out by the terrorist organizations, including Boko Haram, is one of the major drivers of insecurity across northeastern Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin. According to UN estimates, several thousands of people were killed and more than two million displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency since 2011.
As the Nigerian government has recently made strides in retaking and stabilizing large portions of the region, affected residents are gradually restoring their lives, even though the fight against terrorists is ongoing. In December, according to officials, over 5,700 people from northeastern Nigeria who took shelter in Cameroon and Niger six years ago following attacks by the terrorist group returned to their homes.
* terrorist organizations banned in Russia and many other states