Abuja, Nigeria – The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has confirmed that over 200 ISIS fighters have been eliminated in coordinated joint operations with the Nigerian military in the country's Northeast region.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) and AFRICOM officials disclosed the casualty figures during an X Spaces engagement on Tuesday, detailing the success of a sustained military campaign that began in mid-May 2026 .
According to the Defence Headquarters, the operations, which commenced on May 16, 2026, were based on months of deliberate planning and intelligence sharing between both countries . The campaign involved coordinated air and ground strikes targeting ISIS strongholds, particularly those of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) .
High-Profile Commanders Eliminated
Among the over 200 terrorists killed was Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described by US officials as ISIS's global second-in-command and one of the group's most significant operatives worldwide . The DHQ stated that al-Minuki played a central role in ISIS external operations, including coordination of terrorist financing, recruitment, logistics, and attack planning targeting civilians .
Other key figures neutralised include Abd-al Wahhab, an ISWAP senior leader responsible for coordinating attacks and propaganda; Abu Musa al-Mangawi, a senior member; and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir, a senior media production operative . Additionally, three ISWAP lieutenants—Abu Huraira, Ba Yuram, and Mallam Haruna—were killed in separate precision strikes within the Lake Chad Basin .
Scope of Operations
The joint campaign has destroyed multiple terrorist assets, including:
· Terrorist checkpoints and weapons caches
· Logistics hubs and training sites
· Military equipment and vehicles
· Financial and media networks supporting terrorist activities
The Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said the operations had delivered a major blow to the terrorist group's operational capacity . He added that the strategic partnership between Nigeria and the United States has significantly degraded the operational capability of ISWAP and other terrorist groups .
AFRICOM's Director of Public Affairs, Colonel Rebecca Heyse, confirmed that the operations were based on respect for Nigeria's sovereignty and demonstrated the effectiveness of strong international partnerships against terrorism . She also commended the professionalism of the Armed Forces of Nigeria .
Political and Diplomatic Context
The successful joint operations come after a period of increased security coordination between Abuja and Washington. Nigeria's Foreign Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, confirmed that President Bola Tinubu "gave the go-ahead" for the strikes and noted that Nigeria provided the intelligence that guided the operations .
Tuggar emphasized that the operations are not targeting any religion, noting that both perpetrators and victims in the affected regions are overwhelmingly Muslim .
Analysts believe the elimination of al-Minuki and his key lieutenants has created a significant leadership vacuum within ISWAP, potentially disrupting the group's operational capacity in the Lake Chad Basin region .
Ongoing Operations
The Defence Headquarters has indicated that operations will be sustained to dismantle all terrorist networks threatening national and regional security . Tuggar suggested that more strikes are likely, describing the collaboration as "an on-going thing" .
Since the beginning of the joint campaign in mid-May, multiple strikes have been reported across the Northeast, including an operation that killed 21 ISWAP fighters in Borno State . Military authorities have intensified both air and ground offensives, focusing on disrupting supply chains, leadership structures, and recruitment networks .
The Armed Forces of Nigeria, in collaboration with international partners, continue to hunt down and destroy terrorists wherever they operate .
---
This is a developing story. Updates will follow as more information becomes available from the Defence Headquarters and AFRICOM.
Tags:
News