Nigerian and United States forces have killed 175 Islamic State militants in a series of joint air and ground strikes in northeast Nigeria in recent days. The Nigerian Defence Headquarters and U.S. Africa Command confirmed the operations, which targeted the Islamic State West Africa Province. No U.S. or Nigerian troops were harmed during the strikes.
The military operations destroyed checkpoints, weapons caches, logistics hubs, and financing networks. Several high-profile targets were eliminated, including Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the group's global No. 2, who was killed on May 16. This marked the first successful targeting of a senior militant in more than a decade of insurgency in the country. Other killed leaders included Abd al-Wahhab, who was responsible for coordinating finance, logistics, attacks, and propaganda, as well as Abu Musa al-Mangawi and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir, a senior media operative.
The operation is part of an ongoing military campaign to hunt down and destroy terrorists threatening Nigeria and the wider region. While the United States sent troops to the West African nation in February in a primarily advisory and training role, these recent joint strikes signal more active U.S. involvement as armed groups have stepped up attacks on communities across the country.
This escalation comes as Islamic State has pivoted toward Africa following major setbacks in the Middle East. According to the crisis monitoring group Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, Africa accounted for 86% of the group's global activity in the first three months of 2026.