US operations in Nigeria killed hundreds of IS-linked militants

The US said it has killed about 200 Islamic State-linked fighters in Nigeria since operations began in the West African nation.

Joint operations between the nations have killed IS fighters, dismantled militant checkpoints and destroyed logistical hubs, Rebecca Heyse, director of public affairs at US Africa Command, said on an X space.

“Months of deliberate planning and extensive intelligence sharing” enabled the US to bring its unique military capabilities to bear against jihadist groups in the region, she said.

The US launched its first strike against Islamist militants in northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day at the government’s invitation and has since extended operations into the insurgency’s northeastern epicenter, where an IS leader was killed in May.

The military successes have done little to quell concerns about Nigeria’s broader security outlook. Despite intensified operations against IS and Boko Haram fighters, attacks and kidnappings continue with violence increasingly spilling into regions far from the northeast.

The abduction of dozens of schoolchildren in Oyo State last month highlights the challenge facing authorities as they seek to restore security in Africa’s largest oil producer.

Such attacks are being carried out by terrorists fleeing military operations in northern Nigeria and seeking out more vulnerable targets elsewhere in the country, Samaila Uba, spokesman for the Defence Headquarters, said during the session.

Homes and camps of the insurgents are being destroyed and some are escaping from their traditional stronghold and looking for areas where there is relative peace to carry out their various activities, he said.

US troops will remain in Nigeria for as long as needed, and there have been no discussions about establishing a permanent military base in the country, he said.