Nigeria says US airstrikes have killed 175 ISIL militants in the northeast | Military Issues

The Nigerian military has hailed the US-led joint operation as part of an ongoing campaign to ‘hunt and kill terrorists everywhere’.

Nigerian soldiers who work with the United States have killed 175 ISIS (ISIS) terrorists in a raid that took place in the northeast of the country in the past few days.

Nigeria’s security headquarters said on Tuesday that operations carried out by the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) destroyed checkpoints, weapons depots, weapons depots, weapons and sources of income that ISIL and its allies in West Africa Province (ISWAP) have led to years of war in the region.

“As of 19 May 2026, the assessment shows that 175 ISIS terrorists have been eliminated from the battle,” the spokesperson of the Nigerian Defense Headquarters Major-General Samaila Uba said in a statement.

“This joint strike has reinforced what the Nigerian Army has been doing for decades – hunting and killing terrorists wherever they are in Nigeria,” Uba said.

The announcement comes after AFRICOM said it had done so they committed crimes Sunday in collaboration with the Nigerian government. It also follows Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu saying that Abu Bilal al-Minuki, described as The second leader of ISIL also known as Abu-Mainok, was killed along with “several of his superiors” during the strikes in Nigeria and the US.

The Nigerian military says al-Minuki is in charge of ISIL’s main operations in the Sahel and West Africa.

After announcing al-Minuki’s death, Tinubu thanked US President Donald Trump in a tweet for his “unwavering leadership and support”.

“I commend the operatives on both sides for their professionalism and courage, and I look forward to the fight against insurgents across the country,” Tinubu said.

The Nigerian military on Tuesday reported the killing of another senior officer, Abd-al Wahhab, who they said was the one who coordinated the planning of the attack with ISWAP propaganda, as well as two ISWAP officials, identified as Abu Musa al-Mangawi and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir.

Having suffered the most in the Middle East, ISIL has turned to Africa, which took 86 percent of the world’s activities in the first three months of 2026, according to the group that analyzes the problems of Armed Conflict Location & Event Data.

The US announced that it had sent troops to Nigeria in February, in what was seen mainly as an advisory and educational role, but the entry into the work report in recent days seems to show the most active US participation in the country.