The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has confirmed the death of its chief photographer and veteran raid commander, Abu Salim al-Barnawi, who was killed during a failed attack on a Nigerian military base in the North-East.
According to intelligence sources, the terrorist group circulated an obituary announcing the death of al-Barnawi, confirming he was among the fighters neutralised by Nigerian troops during the failed assault last week.
The sources said al-Barnawi was one of ISWAP’s most prominent media operatives, serving as the group’s chief photographer and videographer responsible for documenting combat operations and producing propaganda materials used for recruitment and boosting fighters’ morale.
Before joining the group’s media unit, he reportedly led several cross-border raids into neighbouring Cameroon, where he commanded attacks against security forces before transitioning into media operations.
The sources described his death as a significant setback for ISWAP’s propaganda network, noting that he played a central role in recording and disseminating the group’s operational videos and other media content.
The confirmation of his death came days after Nigerian troops repelled the attempted attack on the military base, inflicting heavy casualties on the insurgents and killing several key operatives.
Security sources said the elimination of al-Barnawi underscores the continued degradation of ISWAP’s operational and media capabilities as sustained military offensives intensify across the North-East.
West Trybe reports that Nigerian troops have in recent months intensified counter-insurgency operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP across Borno and other parts of the North-East, targeting the groups’ commanders, logistics networks and propaganda infrastructure as part of efforts to weaken their operational capacity and restore security in the region.
