Operation HADIN KAI Kills ISWAP Chief Photographer, Other Media Operatives

Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) has announced the elimination of Abu Salim al-Barnawi, a senior Boko Haram/ISWAP operative who served as the terrorist group’s chief photographer and propaganda operative, during a failed attack on a military position last week.

According to OPHK, Abu Salim was killed alongside other members of the ISWAP mobile media team, including Abu Umar Khattab and Abu Khalid Usman, during the failed infiltration of Cross Kauwa on July 12, 2026.

The military said a video camera used by the terrorists was recovered among items seized during the operation, corroborating an earlier official statement issued after the encounter.

Operation HADIN KAI disclosed that the terrorist group has since acknowledged Abu Salim’s death by publishing an obituary, describing it as further evidence of the significant losses suffered by ISWAP in recent operations.

Military intelligence revealed that Abu Salim previously led cross-border terrorist raids into Cameroon before he was reassigned to the group’s media unit. In that role, he was responsible for photographing and filming terrorist attacks, producing propaganda materials, and creating content aimed at glorifying the group’s activities and recruiting new members.

The military stated that the elimination of Abu Salim and the ISWAP mobile media team highlights the impact of sustained counter-terrorism operations in the North-East.

OPHK added that troops inflicted heavy casualties on the terrorists during the failed Cross Kauwa attack, killing several high-profile fighters, including a Syrian national and an ISWAP commander identified as Aliyu Zabarmari. It also disclosed that another Arab mercenary involved in the attack remains missing.

According to the military, several other terrorists sustained serious injuries and fled the battlefield under intense pressure from advancing troops.