Nigerian officials said the coordinated strikes destroyed militant camps, weapons depots and logistics centres….reports Asian Lite News
More than 175 Islamic State fighters have been killed in a series of joint airstrikes carried out by Nigerian and US forces in northeastern Nigeria, marking one of the most significant coordinated counterterrorism operations in the region in recent months.
Nigeria’s army spokesperson Samaila Uba said the operations targeted key Islamic State strongholds and logistical networks linked to extremist activity in the country’s northeast.
“More than 175 ISIS militants were eliminated on the battlefield,” Uba said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
He added that the coordinated strikes destroyed multiple terrorist facilities, including checkpoints, weapons depots, logistics hubs and financial centres used to support militant operations.
“The joint strikes destroyed checkpoints, weapons depots, logistics centres, military equipment, and the headquarters of financial networks used to support terrorist operations,” he said.
Nigeria has battled a jihadist insurgency since 2009, initially led by Boko Haram and later by the Islamic State West Africa Province. According to the United Nations, the conflict has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced over two million across northeastern Nigeria.
Military cooperation between Abuja and Washington has intensified in recent months as both countries seek to curb extremist violence in the Lake Chad Basin region.
Commander of the United States Africa Command, Dagvin Anderson, praised Nigerian forces for their role in the operation during a congressional hearing in Washington.
“The Nigerians have played a crucial role over the past few months: they identified the target, helped us gather intelligence, and provided the support necessary to complete this mission,” Anderson said.
Last week, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu announced that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second in command of the Islamic State globally, had been killed during a joint overnight operation conducted by Nigerian and US forces.
Tinubu called the mission “a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism” and said it had dealt a major blow to the Islamic State’s leadership structure.
According to the Nigerian government, preliminary assessments confirmed the death of the wanted militant leader, also known as Abu-Mainok, along with several senior associates during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.
US President Donald Trump also confirmed the operation in a post on Truth Social last week, praising American and Nigerian forces involved in the mission.
“Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield,” Trump wrote.
The latest operation highlights growing security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States as both countries intensify efforts to dismantle extremist networks operating across West Africa.
