By Helen Udo.
Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) has confirmed the killing of Abu Salim al-Barnawi, a senior Boko Haram/ISWAP operative and the group’s chief photographer, during a failed terrorist attack on a military position.
Abu Salim was eliminated alongside other members of ISWAP’s mobile media team, including Abu Umar Khattab and Abu Khalid Usman. Troops also recovered a video camera and other operational items from the scene.
According to a statement signed by Captain Mohammed Goni, Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, Maiduguri, dated 22 July 2026 revealed that ISWAP later acknowledged Abu Salim’s death by publishing an obituary, confirming the loss of one of its key propaganda operatives.
Intelligence revealed that Abu Salim previously led cross border terrorist raids into Cameroon before transitioning to the group’s media wing to document attacks and produce propaganda materials.
The terrorists’ media team was destroyed during the failed infiltration of Cross Kauwa on 12 July 2026, where troops inflicted heavy casualties on the attackers.
Among those killed was a Syrian Arab fighter and a commander identified as Aliyu Zabarmari, while another foreign mercenary remains unaccounted for. Several other terrorists were wounded during the encounter.
OPHK said the operation demonstrates the effectiveness of its sustained offensive campaign against Boko Haram and ISWAP.
The military noted that eliminating experienced operatives weakens the terrorists’ command structure, operational capacity, and propaganda network.
According to OPHK, the group’s obituary for Abu Salim highlights the increasing pressure on ISWAP and its growing difficulty in replacing experienced fighters and media personnel.
Operation HADIN KAI reaffirmed its commitment to sustained intelligence-led operations aimed at eliminating the remaining Boko Haram and ISWAP elements, dismantling their support networks, and restoring lasting peace and security across the North-East.
