DHQ Confirms Nigerian Military, US Forces Kill 175 ISIS Terrorists in Joint Airstrikes

In one of the most significant counterterrorism breakthroughs in recent years, a series of coordinated airstrikes by the Nigerian military and the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has killed 175 ISIS terrorists in Nigeria’s northeast, including a globally prominent operative.

The joint operation dealt a severe blow to the infrastructure and leadership of ISIS and its regional affiliate, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters (DHQ) announced Tuesday.

Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, confirmed that the multi-day aerial campaign successfully dismantled the core networks sustaining insurgent activities in the region. The strikes targeted and destroyed terrorist-manned checkpoints, weapons caches, logistics hubs, and critical financial networks used to fund the insurgency.

Central to the operation’s success was the elimination of several high-profile terrorist leaders. Among the dead is Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom the military described as one of the most significant ISIS operatives in the world.

According to Major General Uba, al-Minuki was a linchpin in ISIS’s external operations, actively overseeing international terrorist financing, recruitment, logistics, and attack planning targeting both Nigerians and global civilian populations.

“His death severely disrupts ISIS command, operational coordination, and external attack networks,” Uba said in a statement.

The airstrikes also neutralized three other senior figures within the insurgent hierarchy:

• Abd-al Wahhab: An ISWAP commander responsible for coordinating local attacks and distributing propaganda.

• Abu Musa al-Mangawi: A senior, high-ranking member within the ISWAP network.

• Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir: A top media production manager and a close operational associate of al-Minuki.

Defense analysts note that the scale and success of these joint strikes underscore a deepening intelligence-sharing and tactical partnership between the Armed Forces of Nigeria and U.S. forces in Africa.

The DHQ stated that the outcome of the operation highlights its ongoing commitment to tracking down and eliminating terrorist elements wherever they operate within the country.

Military officials added that these high-intensity operations will continue until all individuals threatening Nigeria’s national security and the broader stability of the Lake Chad region are neutralized.