Islamist militant group Boko Haram has reportedly slain at least 33 wives of Islamic State fighters in a bloody revenge attack as fighting between the rival groups continues to escalate.
The brutal revenge attack was ordered by a Boko Haram leader earlier this week, who after ambushing a group of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in northeastern Nigeria’s Sambisa forest sent his troops to a nearby camp to execute their wives.
It came after ISIS militants killed a Boko Haram commander and his fighters.
ISWAP fighters were once part of Boko Haram but splintered off and quickly grew into a formidable rival of the Islamic militants by enticing other Boko Haram members into defecting while drumming up support in local civilian populations.
The two Islamic militant groups are fierce rivals and their fighting has contributed to the displacement of millions of people in northeastern Nigeria.