U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) says more than 200 terrorists have been killed in coordinated operations with Nigerian forces against ISIS fighters in the country’s northeast.
In a post on X, AFRICOM said missions eliminated several key ISIS figures, including Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, and confirmed that no U.S. or Nigerian personnel were harmed. The operations targeted militant networks linked to Islamic State in West Africa.
The announcement follows months of expanding U.S.—Nigeria military cooperation. Last year, President Donald Trump repeatedly accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from Islamists and ordered airstrikes over Christmas, marking an escalation in American involvement in the country’s long-running insurgency.
Nigeria Accused of Failing To Protect Christians
Trump and members of his administration have repeatedly framed violence by armed groups in Nigeria as disproportionately targeting Christians, with the president saying militants were “viciously killing…primarily, innocent Christians.”
Nigeria, which is split about evenly between Christians and Muslims, pushed back against claims of a Christian genocide in the country, insisting that many groups across all religions were falling victim to terrorism. However, they welcomed U.S. support.
United Nations experts have warned of “deeply troubling” reports of killings, abductions, forced conversions and sexual violence affecting Christian communities, particularly women and girls, and other religious communities in Nigeria.
Earlier this year, nonpartisan Christian advocacy organization Open Doors placed Nigeria seventh on its World Watch List, an annual ranking of the 50 countries where Christians face the most persecution.
US Operations in Nigeria
U.S. military involvement escalated in December 2025, when Trump announced Christmas Day airstrikes against ISIS-linked militants in northwest Nigeria. The strikes were carried out with Nigerian approval and were framed as a response to attacks on Christians.
Since then, cooperation has broadened into intelligence sharing, training and joint operations with a “small” American military presence on the ground. Nigerian officials have described the partnership as “structured security cooperation,” while AFRICOM has emphasized the role of joint planning and coordination in recent missions.
Operations in May marked a significant phase, with coordinated strikes in the northeast targeting ISIS positions. U.S. officials said intelligence confirmed the presence of militants, while Nigerian authorities have credited the partnership with degrading extremist capabilities and dismantling networks.
This month, Zannah Abba Aji, the village head of Metele in Borno state, told Drop Site News that 27 civilians had been killed in the coordinated strikes. Newsweek has not independently verified the information and has asked the U.S. Department of Defense and Nigerian Minstry of Defense for comment.
Who Is Abu Bilal al-Minuki
Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was described by U.S. officials as the director of global operations for ISIS and the “most active terrorist in the world.”
He was believed to have played a key role in coordinating international operations, overseeing financing and media strategy, planning attacks and directing hostage taking.
Announcing his death, Trump said: “Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing,
“He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans. With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished. Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation.”
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