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Nigeria-US Joint Strikes Kill 175 ISIS Militants in North-East – DHQ
The Defence Headquarters on Tuesday said joint counterterrorism operations conducted by Nigerian troops in collaboration with the United States Africa Command have killed no fewer than 175 ISIS militants in North-East Nigeria, dealing what it described as a devastating blow to the terror group’s operational network.
The military said the sustained offensive, which commenced days ago, had also resulted in the destruction of ISIS checkpoints, weapons caches, logistical hubs, military equipment and financial networks used to sustain terrorist activities across the region.
Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, noting that the operation was part of ongoing coordinated efforts between the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the United States to dismantle terrorist strongholds and degrade insurgent capabilities in the North-East.
According to the DHQ, assessment reports as of May 19, 2026, confirmed that 175 ISIS fighters had been eliminated from the battlefield, while several high-profile commanders had also been neutralised during the precision strikes.
Among those killed, the military said, was Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as one of the world’s most dangerous ISIS operatives and a key figure in the group’s external operations.
The Defence Headquarters stated that al-Minuki played a major role in coordinating terrorist financing, recruitment, logistics and attack planning targeting Nigerians and civilians across different parts of the world.
“The operations have also resulted in the elimination of several senior ISIS leaders, including Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, one of the most significant ISIS operatives in the world.
“Al-Minuki played a central role in ISIS external operations, coordinating terrorist financing, recruitment, logistics and attack planning targeting Nigerians and innocent civilians around the world. His death severely disrupts ISIS command, operational coordination and external attack networks,” the statement said.
The military further revealed that other senior terrorist figures eliminated in the offensive included Abd-al Wahhab, an ISWAP commander responsible for coordinating attacks and propaganda dissemination; Abu Musa al-Mangawi, identified as a senior ISWAP member; and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir, said to be a senior media production manager and close associate of al-Minuki.
The Defence Headquarters maintained that the latest offensive reinforced the military’s longstanding resolve to pursue terrorists wherever they operate within Nigeria.
It stressed that the Armed Forces, working closely with international partners, would continue to sustain pressure on extremist groups threatening national and regional security.
“The joint strikes have further reinforced what the Armed Forces of Nigeria have consistently done over the years — hunt down and kill terrorists anywhere they are in Nigeria.
“The joint operations will continue to hunt down and destroy those who threaten our nation and regional stability,” the statement added.
The latest operation marks one of the most significant joint Nigeria-United States counterterrorism offensives in recent years and comes amid renewed military efforts to weaken ISIS and ISWAP remnants operating within the Lake Chad Basin and the wider Sahel region.
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