Nigeria and US Joint Strikes Kill 175 ISIS Fighters
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters announced on Tuesday that joint military operations with the United States have killed 175 Islamic State (ISIS) fighters in northeastern Nigeria, marking the most significant blow against ISIS-affiliated militants in the region in over a decade. The coordinated ground and air operations, conducted over several days in Borno State and the Lake Chad Basin, also eliminated multiple senior commanders, including the global second-in-command of ISIS.
A Coordinated Campaign
The operations began on May 16 with a joint US-Nigerian raid that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki (also known as Abu Bakr al-Mainuki), described by both governments as the deputy of ISIS’s West Africa chapter and the global second-in-command of the Islamic State. According to NBC News, US Navy SEAL Team 6 operators conducted the ground assault, culminating in a three-hour firefight before an airstrike eliminated al-Minuki in Mitile, Borno State.
Following that raid, additional US-Nigerian airstrikes on May 17 targeted ISIS positions in the Marte axis, killing at least 20 militants. By May 19, the cumulative toll had reached 175, according to Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters. The Nigerian newspaper The Nation reported that the operations destroyed terrorist checkpoints, weapons caches, logistics hubs, military equipment, and financial networks used to sustain insurgent activities.
Senior Leadership Decapitated
Beyond al-Minuki, the operations killed several other high-profile ISIS and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commanders. Nigeria’s military confirmed the deaths of Abd-al Wahhab, an ISWAP commander responsible for coordinating finance, attack planning, and logistics; Abu Musa al-Mangawi, a senior ISWAP member; and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir, a senior media production manager and close associate of al-Minuki.
Nigerian military spokesperson Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba stated that al-Minuki’s death “severely disrupts ISIS command structure, operational coordination, and external attack networks.” The military confirmed that no US or Nigerian troops were harmed in any of the operations.
A New Phase in US-Nigeria Cooperation
The joint operations represent a significant escalation in US military involvement in Nigeria. The US deployed approximately 200 troops to Nigeria in February 2026 in what was initially described as an advisory and training role. However, the current operations signal a shift to active combat involvement alongside Nigerian forces.
US Air Force Gen. Dagvin Anderson, commander of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), told a congressional hearing that Nigeria played a pivotal role in the operations. “The Nigerians have been instrumental throughout the last several months, developing the target, helping us with the intelligence and providing support in order to do that,” Anderson said. “So it could not have been done by our own forces.”
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell struck a defiant tone, stating: “Those who hurt Americans, plan to hurt Americans, or concoct despicable plots to harm innocent Christians, the United States of America will find you and kill you.”
The Shifting Battlefield
The operations come amid a broader strategic shift by the Islamic State, which has increasingly focused on Africa after suffering major setbacks in the Middle East. According to crisis monitoring group Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, West Africa has become a major site of ISIS operations. Gen. Anderson described Africa as the “epicenter of global terrorism” during his testimony.
However, Anderson also warned of significant challenges ahead. He cited a “growing black hole of intelligence in the Sahel” following the withdrawal of French forces from the region and the US withdrawal from Niger. Military governments in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso have turned to Russia as a security partner, complicating Western counterterrorism efforts.
Analysis and Implications
Security analyst Bulama Burkati, speaking to The Associated Press, said the operations “would demonstrate to militants that the American-Nigerian operation has really picked up.” He noted that Nigerian forces have historically lacked the capacity to fight extremist groups in densely forested areas like the Lake Chad region, but that the joint operations “can disrupt the group’s finance, recruitment, and planning at the provincial level.”
The killing of al-Minuki is the highest-profile elimination of an ISIS leader in Africa and represents a significant tactical victory. Analysts expect the operations to disrupt ISWAP’s capabilities in the short term, though questions remain about whether the group will fragment or reorganize under new leadership.
The operations also mark a dramatic turnaround in US-Nigeria relations, which reached a low point in 2025 when President Trump accused the Nigerian government of “Christian genocide” — allegations Nigeria denied. The Christmas Day 2025 airstrikes and the subsequent deployment of US troops have since rebuilt the bilateral security partnership.
What’s Next
As the Straits Times reported, Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters said the operations form part of an ongoing campaign to “hunt down and destroy” militants threatening Nigeria and the wider region. The key question now is whether the US will sustain its direct combat involvement or revert to an advisory role.
The broader humanitarian crisis in northeastern Nigeria continues, with the conflict having killed tens of thousands and displaced millions over more than a decade. While the military operations represent a significant tactical success, the Lake Chad Basin remains one of the world’s most complex humanitarian emergencies.