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3w ago

Nigeria–U.S. Strikes Kill 175 ISIS Fighters After Raid That Killed Group’s No. 2

AFRICOM warns of an intelligence shortfall hampering crisis response.

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U.S. military vehicles escort buses transporting Islamic State detainees from Syria to Iraq, according to a security source from the Syrian Democratic Forces, in Qamishli, Syria, February 8, 2026.
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Overview

  • The Nigerian military, in a Tuesday update, said joint air and ground operations with U.S. Africa Command killed 175 Islamic State fighters in the northeast with no U.S. or Nigerian casualties.
  • The campaign began with a Friday raid that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described by both governments as ISIS’s global No. 2, followed by weekend strikes on additional targets.
  • Nigeria said follow-up attacks killed senior ISWAP figures including Abd al-Wahhab, Abu Musa al-Mangawi and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir.
  • Officials said the strikes also destroyed checkpoints, weapons caches, logistics hubs, equipment sites and financing networks used by ISIS and its West Africa affiliate across the Lake Chad Basin.
  • U.S. Gen. Dagvin Anderson called Africa the epicenter of global terrorism and, citing a 75% U.S. drawdown over the past decade, urged more expeditionary intelligence and other capabilities as ACLED data show 86% of ISIS activity this year occurred in Africa.