The Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), formerly known as Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād has released pictures of its members celebrating the recent Eid-el-Fitr festival in a yet-to-be-identified section of the Sambisa Forest, Borno State.
Muslims in Nigeria last Wednesday joined their counterparts around the world to celebrate Eid-El-Fitr, signalling the end of the one-month Ramadan fast.
The Nigerian government initially declared Tuesday and Wednesday as a public holiday and later extended it to Thursday.
In pictures released by ISWAP, sect members are seen praying in an open field, some with their guns by their side.
The images may be part of the sect’s efforts to counter statements by the Nigerian military that the Islamist insurgent fighters were on a steady retreat, with troops seizing a sizeable territory hitherto occupied and controlled by members of the terrorist sect.
Since the death of JAS leader, Abubakar Shekau, ISWAP has been consolidating its grip in locations around Lake Chad.
But the military has been launching offensives against terrorists and bandits’ positions in North-East and North-West Nigeria.
Last Thursday, it was reported that some bandits in large numbers similarly observed this year’s Eid-El-Fitr prayers and other festivities in the open in Zamfara State, Northwest Nigeria.
The terrorists, who seemed to be unperturbed, gathered at the Eid ground in Munhaye town in Zamfara on Wednesday to perform the two raka’at prayers to mark the end of Ramadan fast.
Follow us on social media
