LAGOS: Nigeria and the United States have carried out fresh strikes against Islamic State militants in northeast Nigeria, the US military said Monday (May 18), with the Nigerian army saying at least 20 militants were killed.
The strikes were conducted on Sunday, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a statement.
They came two days after the United States and Nigeria announced that a joint operation in the west African country killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, an IS leader described as the group’s second-in-command worldwide who has been under US sanctions since 2023.
The raid was the “continuation of coordinated operations against ISIS militants”, across Nigeria’s restive northeast region, Nigeria’s military said, using another name for the militant group.
“Following observed convergence and migration of terrorist elements, multiple air strikes were conducted resulting in the elimination of more than 20 ISIS/ISWAP fighters,” the Nigerian Defence Headquarters said in a statement.
AFRICOM said “Intelligence confirmed the targets were ISIS militants”, adding that no US or Nigerian forces were “harmed” during the operation.
Nigeria has long battled extremist insurgents, including Boko Haram and regional offshoots of the IS organisation, primarily the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Northern Nigeria faces the double threat of attacks from militant groups allied to IS and from criminal gangs that stalk villages and carry out mass kidnappings.
Since late 2025, the country has been under pressure from the United States, which has accused it of not doing enough to combat the Islamist militant threat.
West Africa has become the world’s most active zone of extremist militancy, according to a recent report by global conflict monitor ACLED, which showed that Islamic State activity in Africa hit a record high in the first quarter of 2026.
As director of global operations for IS, the slain al-Minuki provided strategic guidance on media and financial operations and “the development and manufacturing of weapons, explosives and drones”, according to the Nigerian military and AFRICOM.
Al-Minuki was “one of the world’s most active terrorists”, according to Nigeria.
An intelligence source, who asked not to be named, told AFP that “given the high-profile status of al-Manuki there is the high possibility of escalation of attacks from ISWAP against Nigerian military bases to avenge his death”.
Nigeria has in recent months claimed success in killing militants after US airstrikes carried out on Christmas Day in collaboration with Nigerian forces in northwestern Sokoto State that targeted fighters from IS in the Sahel group, usually active in neighbouring Niger.
Washington has since deployed hundreds of troops to Nigeria to support and train its forces.
