Nigerian military officials announced Tuesday that combined operations with American forces have eliminated 175 Islamic State fighters during recent coordinated attacks in the country’s northeastern region.
According to the Defence Headquarters, the joint missions with U.S. Africa Command targeted and destroyed militant checkpoints, weapon storage sites, operational centers, and financial networks belonging to Islamic State West Africa Province, the group responsible for an extended insurgency in the area.
Islamic State has increasingly focused its efforts on African operations after experiencing significant losses in Middle Eastern territories, with Africa representing 86% of the organization’s worldwide activities during the initial quarter of 2026, based on data from crisis monitoring group Armed Conflict Location & Event Data.
“As of 19 May, assessments indicate that 175 ISIS militants have been eliminated from the battlefield,” Nigeria’s Defence spokesperson Major-General Samaila Uba said in a statement.
The military operations eliminated several key Islamic State figures, beginning with Abu-Bilal al-Minuki on May 16, whom both nations identified as the organization’s second-highest global leader. Additional weekend raids resulted in the deaths of Abd al-Wahhab, an ISWAP commander responsible for coordinating attacks and propaganda operations, along with Abu Musa al-Mangawi and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir, described as a senior communications official and close ally of al-Minuki.
Defence Headquarters officials stated these missions are part of a continuing effort to “hunt down and destroy” militants posing threats to Nigeria and surrounding areas.
