Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says at least 175 ISIS-linked terrorists have been killed in ongoing joint operations with United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) in the country’s Northeast.
According to a report by The Nation, the military said the coordinated strikes, involving both ground troops and air support, have intensified in recent days and dealt major blows to insurgent networks operating in the region.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba said the latest assessment, as of May 19, showed 175 ISIS militants had been killed during the operation.
The DHQ said the offensive also destroyed terrorist checkpoints, weapons stockpiles, logistics bases, military hardware and financial structures used to sustain operations. The military described the campaign as one of its most successful recent offensives against extremist groups in the Northeast.
Among those reportedly killed was Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified by the military as a senior ISIS operative with responsibility for external operations. DHQ said he played a major role in financing, recruitment, logistics and attack planning involving targets in Nigeria and beyond.
The military added that his death was expected to significantly weaken ISIS command structures and disrupt its wider attack networks.
Other senior figures listed among those killed were Abd-al Wahhab, said to be an ISWAP commander involved in coordinating attacks and propaganda, Abu Musa al-Mangawi, and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir, described as a senior media operative and close associate of al-Minuki.
The operation follows an earlier announcement on Monday in which the Nigerian military and AFRICOM confirmed that 20 ISIS fighters were killed during coordinated strikes around the Marte axis of the Northeast.
The DHQ said the latest operation underlines the Armed Forces’ determination to sustain pressure on insurgents and deny them safe havens across the country.
