Nigeria said on Tuesday it killed nearly 200 ISIS militants in military strikes conducted in coordination with the United States.
The African nation said the joint operations targeted the militants in northeast Nigeria. Since strikes started “a few days ago,” 175 militants have been killed, including several senior ISIS leaders, Nigeria’s defense ministry revealed, hailing the development as a “major success.”
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“The joint strikes have resulted in the destruction of ISIS checkpoints, weapons caches, logistical hubs, military equipment, and financial networks used to sustain terrorist operations,” the government said. “The joint operations will continue to hunt down and destroy those who threaten our nation and regional stability.”
Among ISIS leaders killed were Abu-Bilal al Minuki, “one of the most significant ISIS operatives in the world,” Abd al Wahhab, Abu al Musa Mangawi, and Abu al Muthanna al Muhajir. Minuki, who targeted Christians in Nigeria, was the No. 2 for ISIS globally, and oversaw the planning of attacks, directed hostage-taking, and managed financial operations, according to War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“[Minuki’s] death severely disrupts ISIS command, operational coordination, and external attack networks,” the ministry’s statement read.
The U.S.’s involvement in Nigeria comes amid sweeping concerns that ISIS and other terrorist groups operating in the country are systematically persecuting Christians.
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In November, Trump directed the Pentagon to help protect persecuted Christians in Nigeria. The same month, Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, labeled the massacre of thousands of Christians in the country as a “genocide.” The president has also designated Nigeria a country of particular concern due to the egregious violations of religious freedom.
The concerns led to a December airstrike from the U.S. that targeted ISIS militants in northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day. The Pentagon began sending noncombat troops to the country in February, providing Nigeria with assistance with training, technical support, and intelligence sharing.
