Operation HADIN KAI Neutralises ISWAP Propaganda Chief, Other Senior Terrorists

Operation HADIN KAI Neutralises ISWAP Propaganda Chief, Other Senior Terrorists

The Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, has confirmed the elimination of Abu Salim al-Barnawi, a notorious Boko Haram/ISWAP commander and propaganda operative, during a failed terrorist attack on a military location last week.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, the military disclosed that Abu Salim was killed alongside other members of the terrorist group’s mobile media team, including Abu Umar Khattab and Abu Khalid Usman.

Operation HADIN KAI recalled that a video camera and other equipment used by the terrorists were recovered during the operation, as earlier reported in its official statement.

According to the military, the terrorist group has now publicly acknowledged Abu Salim’s death through the publication of an obituary, confirming the loss of one of its key operatives.

Intelligence reports indicate that Abu Salim previously led cross-border terrorist raids into Cameroon before being reassigned to the group’s media unit, where he was responsible for documenting attacks, producing propaganda videos and photographs, and promoting extremist narratives aimed at recruitment and misinformation.

The military said the elimination of Abu Salim and his media team occurred during the failed terrorist infiltration of Cross Kauwa on July 12, 2026, where troops inflicted heavy casualties on the attackers.

Among those reportedly neutralised during the operation were a Syrian national, a senior terrorist commander identified as Aliyu Zabarmari, while another foreign mercenary remains unaccounted for. Several other terrorists were also said to have sustained serious injuries as they fled under sustained military pressure.

Operation HADIN KAI described the operation as another major setback for Boko Haram and ISWAP, noting that the loss of experienced commanders and media operatives has significantly weakened the group’s operational capability, propaganda network and command structure.

The military added that the terrorists’ decision to issue an obituary for Abu Salim further confirms the increasing pressure mounted by ongoing military offensives and the growing difficulty the group faces in replacing experienced fighters.

Operation HADIN KAI reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining intelligence-led operations aimed at dismantling terrorist networks, eliminating remaining insurgents, disrupting their propaganda machinery and restoring lasting peace and security across the North-East.

Operation HADIN KAI Neutralises ISWAP Propaganda Chief, Other Senior Terrorists