A violent power struggle has broken out within the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), leaving several fighters dead after rival commanders clashed inside the group’s stronghold in the Timbuktu Triangle.
Security analyst and Lake Chad counter insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, disclosed the development in a post on X on Sunday, June 28, citing intelligence sources.
According to the sources, the clash occurred on Friday, June 27, following a disagreement over a planned attack.
The dispute reportedly began after one commander, identified as Abu Ali, refused to allow fighters under his command to participate in the operation.
His decision allegedly angered another senior commander, who accused him of frustrating the mission and questioned his loyalty to the group.
The argument soon escalated into a gun battle inside ISWAP’s enclave in the Timbuktu Triangle, one of the group’s main operational bases in the Lake Chad region.
Intelligence sources, Makama said, revealed that several fighters were killed during the confrontation, while one of the rival commanders reportedly died from injuries sustained in the exchange.
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Security agencies are still working to establish the identities of those involved and determine the exact casualty figure.
Sources said the clash reflected weeks of growing tension among commanders over operational decisions, dwindling resources and the management of logistics.
The disagreement over the planned attack is believed to have exposed deeper rivalries, with commanders increasingly competing for influence, manpower and supplies.
Security officials believe the confrontation could temporarily weaken ISWAP’s ability to coordinate attacks as distrust spreads among its leadership.
“The incident has created divisions within the camp. There is now suspicion among different factions, and this could affect decision-making, logistics and operational planning until the leadership is able to reassert control,” one intelligence source familiar with the situation said.
Analysts also warned that the reported death of a senior commander could trigger retaliatory attacks by loyalists.
Security experts said the infighting highlights the pressure ISWAP is facing as sustained military operations continue to target its commanders, logistics networks and movements across the Lake Chad region, exposing growing cracks within one of the region’s most organised terrorist groups.