US/Nigerian forces kill over 175 ISIS terrorists in northeast Nigeria — AFRICOM
The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) says coordinated counterterrorism operations carried out alongside the Nigerian Armed Forces between May 16 and 18, 2026, eliminated more than 175 ISIS terrorists in Northeastern Nigeria.
AFRICOM disclosed this in a statement shared Tuesday on its official X account, describing the mission as a major success in ongoing counterterrorism operations in the region.
“Security cooperation in action In coordination with the Nigerian Armed Forces, our #counterterrorism efforts from May 16-18, 2026, eliminated more than 175 ISIS terrorists in Northeastern Nigeria.”
The command said the operation highlighted growing military cooperation between the United States and Nigeria in the fight against terrorism.
Commander of United States Africa Command, General Dagvin Anderson, said: “This operation underscores the exceptional value of the U.S.-Nigeria partnership and was made possible through the cooperation and coordination of our forces in recent months.”
He added: “Make no mistake, our two nations will relentlessly pursue and neutralize terrorist threats and are committed to protecting our people and interests.”
Also reacting, Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information at Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, said the joint operations reaffirmed Nigeria’s long-standing campaign against terrorist groups.
“The joint strikes have further reinforced what the Armed Forces of Nigeria have consistently done over the years – hunt down and kill terrorists anywhere they are in Nigeria.
“The joint operations will continue to hunt down and destroy those who threaten our nation and regional stability.”
Background
In recent months, AFRICOM has increased intelligence-sharing and operational support to the Nigerian military as part of efforts to weaken ISIS-West Africa Province (ISWAP) and other extremist groups operating around the Lake Chad region.
Earlier in May 2026, AFRICOM announced that a coordinated airstrike conducted with Nigerian forces killed Abu Bilal al-Minuki, described as ISIS’ second-in-command in Nigeria and one of the group’s top global leaders. U.S. officials said the operation dealt a major blow to ISIS leadership and disrupted the group’s planning and operational capabilities in West Africa.
