Nigerian Military: US-Nigeria Joint Operation Kills 175 ISIS Militants

The Nigerian military announced on the 19th that joint counter-terrorism operations were recently conducted by the armed forces of Nigeria and the United States in northeastern Nigeria, resulting in the deaths of 175 armed personnel from the extremist organization "Islamic State," including several senior commanders.

According to the Nigerian military's statement, the coordinated air and ground strikes began last weekend, destroying multiple checkpoints, weapon storage sites, and logistical hubs of the "Islamic State," significantly crippling its operational capabilities. Several senior commanders of the "Islamic State" were killed during the operation, including the organization's global "number two," Abu Bilal al-Minuki. He is believed to have played a key role in the "Islamic State's" external operations, including coordinating financing, personnel recruitment, logistical support, and planning attacks against civilians.

The statement said that these results further demonstrate the Nigerian military's ongoing efforts to track and eliminate terrorists nationwide, and that the Nigeria-U.S. joint counter-terrorism operations will continue to thoroughly dismantle the terrorist networks that threaten national and regional security.

Nigeria has been severely affected by the activities of extremist armed groups and terrorist organizations, including "Boko Haram," "Islamic State," and its regional affiliate "Islamic State West Africa Province." According to a recent report released by the global conflict monitoring organization "Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project," the activities of the "Islamic State" in Africa reached the highest level on record in the first quarter of 2026. (Reporter: He Beiping)