Nigerian, U.S forces intensify airstrikes on ISWAP in Borno

The Nigerian military and the United States Africa Command (U.S. Africa Command) have intensified coordinated operations in northeastern Nigeria, carrying out fresh airstrikes on Islamic State positions days after a joint mission reportedly killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a second-in-command of the global Islamic State leader.

Military authorities said the latest strikes, conducted on Sunday in the Metele area of Borno State, targeted regrouping fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) following intelligence reports of their presence in the area.

The operation forms part of expanded joint counterterrorism efforts in the Lake Chad basin, where militant activity remains persistent.

According to Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, more than 20 ISWAP fighters were killed in the airstrikes.

AFRICOM confirmed the operation and said no U.S. or Nigerian personnel were harmed.

The renewed strikes come just a day after a U.S.-Nigeria joint mission involving air and ground operations killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described by both governments as the second-in-command of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Officials say his death represents a significant setback for the group’s global command structure.

The escalation underscores the growing concentration of Islamic State activity in Africa, which has become the group’s main operational theatre.

Data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project (ACLED) shows that the continent accounted for 86 percent of Islamic State-related activity globally in early 2026.

Northeastern Nigeria remains the stronghold of ISWAP, while affiliated factions continue to operate across the Sahel, Somalia, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the Lake Chad region serving as a key logistics and mobility corridor.

Al-Minuki reportedly oversaw the group’s Al Furqan office, which coordinates global financing and strategic operations, making his elimination particularly significant for Islamic State’s international network.

Security analysts say the development could disrupt the group’s attempt to further entrench itself in Africa as its Middle Eastern territories remain diminished.

“This is a severe blow to ISIL and to their plan to shift focus towards Africa. They will struggle to replace him,” said Colin Smith, coordinator of a United Nations monitoring team tracking Islamic State and Al-Qaeda networks.

Donald Trump, U.S. President and Bola Tinubu, Nigerian President have both described al-Minuki’s killing as a major operational breakthrough.

Trump also commended Nigeria’s cooperation in the joint mission.

Nigeria’s military said the latest airstrikes are part of sustained efforts to dismantle insurgent networks, degrade their operational capacity, and deny militants safe havens in the northeast.

Borno State has endured a prolonged insurgency led by Boko Haram and ISWAP for over 17 years, leaving thousands dead and displacing around two million people despite repeated military offensives and regional security collaborations.