Nigerian forces working with the United States claim to have killed 175 ISIL (ISIS) fighters in a series of joint strikes in the country’s northeast in recent days, Al Jazeera reported.
The Nigerian Defence Headquarters said on Tuesday that operations conducted with the US military’s Africa Command (AFRICOM) destroyed checkpoints, weapons caches, logistics hubs, military equipment and financing networks used by ISIL and the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP), which has led a years-long struggle in the region.
“As of 19 May 2026, assessments indicate that 175 ISIS terrorists have been eliminated from the battlefield,” Nigerian Defence Headquarters spokesperson Major-General Samaila Uba said in a statement.
“The joint strikes have further reinforced what the Armed Forces of Nigeria have consistently done over the years – hunt down and kill terrorists anywhere they are in Nigeria,” Uba said.
The announcement comes after AFRICOM said it had carried out attacks on Sunday in coordination with the Nigerian government. It also follows Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reporting that Abu Bilal al-Minuki, described as ISIL’s second-in-command and also known as Abu-Mainok, was killed along with “several of his lieutenants” in a joint Nigeria-US strike.
The Nigerian Army said al-Minuki oversaw key ISIL operations in the Sahel and West African region.
After the announcement of al-Minuki’s death, Tinubu thanked US President Donald Trump in a post on social media for his “leadership and unwavering support”.
bd-pratidin/GR
