U.S. and Nigerian Forces Kill Over 200 ISIS-Linked Militants in Coordinated Operations
U.S. Africa Command announced that coordinated operations with Nigerian forces killed more than 200 terrorists, including senior ISIS figure Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, with no casualties among U.S. or Nigerian personnel. The operations represent an escalation of American military involvement in Nigeria that began with Christmas 2024 airstrikes authorized by President Trump. The campaign reflects expanding U.S.-Nigeria security cooperation against ISIS in West Africa, though civilian casualty claims have emerged.
U.S. Africa Command reported that joint operations with Nigerian forces eliminated over 200 militants linked to ISIS in the country's northeast, including Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described by U.S. officials as the director of global operations for ISIS. The operations, which included coordinated strikes in May, represent a significant expansion of American military involvement that began in December 2024 when President Trump announced Christmas Day airstrikes against ISIS-linked militants. U.S. military cooperation with Nigeria has broadened to include intelligence sharing, training, and joint operations with a small American military presence on the ground. Nigerian officials have credited the partnership with degrading extremist capabilities, while U.S. officials confirmed intelligence indicated the presence of militants in targeted areas. However, a village head in Borno state reported that 27 civilians were killed in the coordinated strikes, which Newsweek has not independently verified and for which it has requested comment from U.S. and Nigerian defense officials.
What's missing
Independent verification of the 200+ casualty figure and the identities of eliminated militants; detailed breakdown of civilian versus combatant casualties; assessment of the operational effectiveness of the partnership beyond official claims; broader context on ISIS-West Africa's current operational capacity and threat level.
What different sources said
- NewsweekCenter
US Kills More Than '200 Terrorists' in Nigeria Operations
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