Infantry Weapons

K2 assault rifle

The K2 is a South Korean 5.56 mm assault rifle originally associated with Daewoo and now the wider SNT Motiv K-series small-arms line. In the Boko Haram Insurgency archive, its relevance comes from ISWAP photographs and videos that showed Daewoo K2 rifles among militant small arms, likely reflecting capture or diversion from regional state inventories rather than formal insurgent procurement.

Boko Haram InsurgencyBoko Haram and ISWAP

Conflict side: Boko Haram and ISWAP
Built by: Daewoo Precision IndustriesSNT Motiv
Built in: South Korea

K2 assault rifle, 5.56 mm assault rifle, Infantry Weapons

Image source: Daewoo K2 rifle 1.jpg

Profile

Type: 5.56 mm assault rifle
Conflict side: Boko Haram and ISWAP
Origin: South Korea
Service note: 1980s-present service rifle, documented in Lake Chad conflict media by 2021

portable small arms NATO

Service History

In service: Adopted by South Korea in the 1980s; exported to Nigeria before later diversion or capture appearances in militant media
Used by: Nigerian Armed Forces, Boko Haram and ISWAP
Wars: Boko Haram Insurgency

Production History

Designer: South Korean defense industry
Designed: 1970s-1980s development period
Built by: Daewoo Precision IndustriesSNT Motiv
Built in: South Korea
Produced: 1980s-present K-series production lineage
Variants: K2, K2C, K2C1

Specifications

Caliber: 5.56 x 45 mm
Operation: Gas-operated rotating bolt with long-stroke piston
Overall length: 980 mm, or 730 mm with stock folded
Barrel length: 465 mm
Weight: About 3.26 kg unloaded
Feed: 30-round detachable STANAG-pattern box magazine
Rate of fire: About 800 rounds per minute

Conflict Usage

Boko Haram Insurgency: Side: Boko Haram and ISWAPRole: Insurgent small armsstrike
ISWAP media analyzed in 2021 showed Daewoo K2 assault rifles among weapons displayed by militants, with the source assessing many such weapons as stolen from Nigerian and Chadian forces.

K2 assault rifle Images

K2 assault rifle, 5.56 mm assault rifle, Infantry Weapons - view 1 — Source: Daewoo K2 rifle 1.jpg

K2 assault rifle, 5.56 mm assault rifle, Infantry Weapons - view 2 — Source: Daewoo K2 rifle early version 1.jpg

K2 assault rifle, 5.56 mm assault rifle, Infantry Weapons - view 3 — Source: Daewoo K2 rifle DM-SD-01-05735.jpg

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Sources

Islamic State Province's Media in Africa: Comparing Trends in West and Central AfricaPublisher: Jamestown Foundation | Note: Supports Boko Haram Insurgency direct-use context: Daewoo K2 assault rifles were fielded by ISWAP militants in photographs and videos from the Nigerian branch, alongside weapons assessed as mostly stolen from Nigerian and Chadian armies. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 South Korean Daewoo K2 Rifle in NigeriaPublisher: Armament Research Services | Note: Supports K2 technical specifications, Nigerian government purchase background, and likely diversion routes from government ownership. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 DefensePublisher: SNT Motiv | Note: Supports current manufacturer background for SNT Motiv's K-series small-arms line. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Daewoo K2 rifle 1.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a Daewoo K2 rifle photographed at the War Memorial of Korea; licensed CC BY 3.0 by Shotgunlee. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Daewoo K2 rifle early version 1.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for an early Daewoo K2 rifle at the War Memorial of Korea; licensed CC BY 3.0 by Shotgunlee. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Daewoo K2 rifle DM-SD-01-05735.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a public-domain U.S. Department of Defense photograph showing a Daewoo K2 rifle. | Accessed: 2026-06-21