American military officials announced Monday that U.S. forces launched fresh airstrikes targeting Islamic State militants in northeastern Nigeria over the weekend, working in partnership with Nigerian authorities.
The U.S. Africa Command reported that no American or Nigerian personnel were injured in Sunday’s military operations.
These latest strikes came just one day after a joint U.S.-Nigerian mission successfully eliminated Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, who served as the global second-in-command for the Islamic State organization, according to statements from U.S. President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In describing the weekend operation, Tinubu praised the close collaboration between Nigerian and American military units, calling it “a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State.”
President Trump expressed gratitude to Nigeria’s leadership for their cooperation in the mission, despite having previously criticized the country for inadequate protection of Christian communities against militant Islamic groups.
The northeastern Nigerian region of Borno has been plagued by ongoing violence from Boko Haram militants and their offshoot organization, Islamic State West Africa Province, for the past 17 years. This prolonged conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths and forced approximately 2 million residents from their homes.
