ISWAP claims responsibility for fresh attacks on troops

The Islamic State West Africa Province has claimed responsibility for a series of recent attacks targeting Nigerian security forces and locations in neighbouring countries.

The group made the claim in a statement released on Thursday, originally written in Arabic and later translated into English. The material was shared online via X (formerly Twitter), where it was sighted by journalists.

According to the statement, ISWAP alleged that it carried out coordinated operations that included roadside bombings, ambushes on military checkpoints, and the destruction of security vehicles.

Among the claims was an alleged attack on a military patrol in northern Nigeria in which ISWAP said seven soldiers, including an officer of Major rank, were killed after an improvised explosive device detonated.

“What actually happened was that the roadside bomb exploded directly on the patrol, causing the death of seven soldiers, including an officer with the rank of Major, wounding others, and destroying a four-wheel-drive vehicle,” the publication stated.

The terrorist group also claimed that another unit attacked an army position near a town’s outskirts in order to lure troops into the ambush.

According to the document sighted by this newspaper, the group further accused troops of retaliatory actions on civilian homes near Monguno, alleging that houses were burned for failing to report movements of insurgents.

It described the alleged response as “desperate and uncivilised steps by the army to cover up its repeated failures and heavy losses.”

ISWAP also claimed separate attacks on police personnel and local militias, alleging that dozens were killed in multiple operations across Nigeria and the neighbouring Niger Republic.

The publication also said fighters attacked a checkpoint at the entrance of Rifa city  in the Niger Republic with machine guns.

“Five were killed and wounded, while a four-wheel-drive vehicle was burned and eight machine guns were seized before the fighters returned safely,” the report claimed.

The publication also featured a graphic section claiming that 11 attacks were carried out within one week, resulting in 42 vehicles being burned or disabled.

Beyond West Africa, the propaganda material contained claims of attacks in Syria, including an alleged assault on a government vehicle north of Raqqa.

Security analysts have repeatedly warned that such publications are often aimed at boosting recruitment, spreading fear and exaggerating battlefield successes rather than presenting independently verified facts.

A security source told our newspaper that insurgent groups often deploy propaganda to project strength even when under sustained military pressure.

“These claims should always be treated with caution because terrorists rely heavily on misinformation and psychological warfare,” the source said.