Nigeria-US Joint Airstrikes Kill 175 ISIS Fighters, Top Commanders
By Matthew Eloyi
The Defence Headquarters has announced major gains in ongoing joint counterterrorism operations conducted by Nigerian forces and the United States Africa Command against ISIS terrorists in North East Nigeria, revealing that 175 insurgents have so far been killed in coordinated strikes.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said the operations, which commenced a few days ago, had dealt a devastating blow to terrorist networks operating within the region.
According to the military high command, the joint strikes destroyed ISIS checkpoints, weapons caches, logistics hubs, military equipment and financial structures used to sustain terrorist activities.
The Defence Headquarters also disclosed that several senior ISIS and ISWAP commanders were among those eliminated during the operations.
Top among them was Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as one of the most significant ISIS operatives globally.
The military said al-Minuki played a strategic role in coordinating terrorist financing, recruitment, logistics and attack planning targeting Nigerians and civilians in other parts of the world.
“His death severely disrupts ISIS command, operational coordination and external attack networks,” the statement noted.
Other insurgent leaders reportedly killed include Abd-al Wahhab, identified as an ISWAP commander responsible for coordinating attacks and propaganda distribution; Abu Musa al-Mangawi, another senior ISWAP member; and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir, said to be a senior figure in the group’s media production unit and a close associate of al-Minuki.
The Defence Headquarters said the latest offensive reaffirmed the resolve of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to pursue and eliminate terrorists wherever they operate within the country.
It added that joint operations with allied forces would continue until all threats to Nigeria’s security and regional stability were neutralised.