Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have affirmed the killing of a former commander, Abu Salim al-Barnawi, who later became the chief photographer of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), alongside members of the group’s mobile media team during a failed attack on a military location.

A statement on Wednesday by the acting spokesperson for the operation, Mohammed Goni, said other members of the media team killed by the troops included Abu Umar Khattab and Abu Khalid Usman.

The Peoples Gazette earlier reported that troops repelled an attack by ISWAP in the Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, killing Palestinian, and Moroccan nationals allegedly helping the terrorists in Nigeria.

Mr Goni said a video camera was among other items recovered by troops, as stated in an earlier statement by Operation Hadin Kai.

He added, “The terrorist group has now been compelled to acknowledge his death through the publication of an obituary, exposing yet another significant loss within its dwindling ranks. 

“Intelligence indicates that Abu Salim al-Barnawi previously led cross-border terrorist raids into Cameroon before being reassigned to the group’s media wing, where he was responsible for photographing and filming terrorist attacks, producing propaganda, and glorifying the group’s atrocities in an attempt to recruit impressionable individuals and deceive the public.”

Mr Goni said the killing of Abu Salim and members of the ISWAP mobile media team during a failed infiltration attempt at Cross Kauwa on July 12, 2026, further underscored the impact of Operation Hadin Kai’s sustained offensive operations.

He added that troops inflicted heavy casualties on the terrorists, killing several high-profile fighters, including a Syrian national and a Quaid identified as Aliyu Zabarmari, while another Arab mercenary remained missing.

The spokesperson said several other key fighters sustained severe injuries as they fled under intense military pressure.

He said the killing of Abu Salim was another clear demonstration that the sustained offensive operations of Operation Hadin Kai were yielding tangible results.

“The loss of such seasoned operatives further degrades the terrorists’ operational capability, weakens their propaganda apparatus, erodes their command structure, and diminishes their ability to spread extremist narratives and fabricate an illusion of strength.

“The issuance of an obituary by the terrorist group is a direct confirmation of the increasing pressure being exerted by Operation HADIN KAI,” he stated.

He added that as their ranks continued to shrink and propaganda machinery deteriorated, the group’s capacity to inspire, recruit and coordinate attacks was steadily being eroded.