Report says ISIS infighting deepens after major losses in Nigeria
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Recent setbacks suffered by the Islamic State (ISIS) in Nigeria have intensified tensions between the group’s foreign fighters and locally recruited members, leading to internal divisions that have aided security operations, according to a report by Nigerian research organization Nextier.
In a report released on Saturday, Nextier said the infighting has triggered widespread defections, enabling security forces to obtain valuable intelligence that has contributed to a series of successful operations against the group’s strongholds.
Over the past two months, the killing of Abu Bilal al-Manki, a senior commander of ISIS-West Africa, along with more than 180 of his associates, has marked the group’s most significant loss on the African continent since 2018.
According to a report by the Africa Defense Forum, the assassination of al-Manki and several of his aides in northeastern Nigeria in mid-May sent shockwaves through the organization, fueling an intense leadership struggle over succession.
Nextier warned that the succession dispute could escalate violence and increase attacks targeting civilians.
Despite the internal turmoil, the report noted that ISIS-West Africa has demonstrated considerable organizational resilience throughout more than a decade of operations and internal conflicts.