Nigeria says joint US strikes kill 175 ISIL fighters in country’s northeast

Nigerian Army lauds associated US cognition arsenic portion of ongoing subject run to ‘hunt down and termination terrorists anywhere’.

Nigerian forces moving with the United ⁠States assertion to person ⁠killed 175 ISIL (ISIS) fighters successful a bid of associated strikes successful ⁠the country’s northeast successful caller days.

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters said connected Tuesday that operations conducted with the US military’s ⁠Africa Command (AFRICOM) destroyed checkpoints, weapons caches, logistics hubs, subject instrumentality and financing networks utilized by ISIL and the ISIL affiliate successful West Africa Province (ISWAP), which has led a years-long conflict successful the region.

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“As of 19 May 2026, assessments ⁠indicate that 175 ISIS terrorists person ⁠been eliminated from the battlefield,” Nigerian Defence Headquarters spokesperson Major-General Samaila Uba said successful a statement.

“The associated strikes person further reinforced what the Armed Forces of Nigeria person consistently done implicit the years – hunt down and termination terrorists anyplace they are successful Nigeria,” Uba said.

The announcement comes aft AFRICOM said it had carried retired attacks connected Sunday successful coordination with the Nigerian government. It besides follows Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reporting that Abu Bilal al-Minuki, described arsenic ISIL’s second-in-command and besides known arsenic Abu-Mainok, was killed on with “several of his lieutenants” successful a associated Nigeria-US strike.

The Nigerian Army said al-Minuki oversaw cardinal ISIL operations successful the Sahel and West African region.

After the announcement of al-Minuki’s death, Tinubu thanked US President Donald Trump successful a station connected societal media for his “leadership and unwavering support”.

“I commend the unit progressive connected some sides for their professionalism and courage, and I look guardant to much decisive strikes against each violent enclaves crossed the nation,” Tinubu said.

The Nigerian subject connected Tuesday besides reported the sidesplitting of different elder fighter, Abd-al Wahhab, who it said was liable for coordinating onslaught readying and propaganda for ISWAP, arsenic good arsenic 2 elder ISWAP members, identified arsenic Abu Musa al-Mangawi and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir.

Since suffering ‌major setbacks successful the Middle East, ISIL has pivoted towards Africa, which accounted for 86 percent of the group’s planetary enactment successful the archetypal 3 months of 2026, according to situation monitoring radical Armed Conflict Location & Event Data.

The US announced it had sent troops to Nigeria successful February, successful what was deemed a mostly advisory and grooming role, but the associated operations reported successful caller days look to awesome a much progressive US engagement successful the country.