[ad_1]
A dispute over money within a Nigerian jihadist faction affiliated with the Islamic State group has turned into clashes that have killed "a considerable number of fighters," sources said.
Internal conflicts – which erupted in shootings on July 26 – revealed divisions within the group ISWAP (Islamic State of West Africa), told AFP three sources with a deep knowledge of internal functioning of the faction.
The disagreement centered on the sharing of revenues generated mainly by the taxation of livestock farmers and fishermen in jihadist-controlled areas around Lake Chad, said the sources, who asked not to be identified for security reasons. .
Fighting broke out in the village of Blantougou, Niger, before overflowing the border with Nigeria.
He opposed supporters of the head of taxes, Umar Leni, to two other factions, the sources said.
"There has been fierce fighting between the three factions, which have killed many people on all sides," said one of the sources.
"They could not agree on a sharing formula after six days of disagreement and resorted to fighting," he said.
Leni escaped the fighting without being injured and reportedly fled to Mali with the group's reserve, sources said.
The internal conflict is only the latest to have come to terms with the factual jihadist insurgency that has torn north-east Nigeria and infiltrated neighboring countries in the past decade.
ISWAP broke with Boko Haram in 2016 partly because of its rejection of indiscriminate attacks on civilians.
Last year, the group witnessed a takeover by other intransigent fighters who marginalized his leader and executed his deputy.
The IS subsidiary has launched since July 2018 a campaign of attacks against military targets.
Military sources told AFP that 25 international and at least 40 jihadist soldiers were killed Monday in fighting near the town of Baga on Lake Chad.
A military source in the region told AFP that she "was watching closely" the clashes within the jihadist group.
ISWAP sought to fill the void left by the collapse of the government authority in the areas that it controls by providing basic medical services and providing security, according to sources and badysts.
It imposes taxes on farmers and asks fishermen for permission to access Lake Chad, sources said.
In 2017, the Nigerian army banned fishing in Lake Chad, which it said was used by jihadists as a source of funding, but fishermen continued to smuggle their catch into local markets.
According to sources, jihadists are seeking funds to buy ammunition for heavy weapons stolen from the Nigerian army.
The group also has experience collecting money from kidnappings. Last month, he kidnapped six Nigerian aid workers.
Abu / del / ri
Source link
