The United States Africa Command has released footage of a coordinated military operation in northeastern Nigeria that it says led to the killing of senior Islamic State leader Abu-Bilal al-Minuki and other top ISIS figures.
- +VIDEO: AFRICOM releases footage of Nigeria–US strike that killed ISIS leader
In a statement on Saturday, AFRICOM said the strike was conducted on May 16, 2026, under the direction of the United States President and the Secretary of War, and in coordination with the Government of Nigeria.
In a statement on Saturday, AFRICOM said the strike was conducted on May 16, 2026, under the direction of the United States President and the Secretary of War, and in coordination with the Government of Nigeria.
The command said its initial assessment showed that “multiple terrorists, to include Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the director of global operations for ISIS, as well as other senior ISIS leaders, were killed during this operation,” adding that no U.S. service members were harmed.
U.S. Africa Command said the operation targeted a “significant presence of ISIS fighters in Northeastern Nigeria,” describing it as a coordinated effort between both countries’ forces.
Speaking on the operation, U.S. Air Force Gen. Dagvin Anderson, commander of AFRICOM, said the mission reflected strong cooperation between both militaries.
“As President Trump shared last night, AFRICOM, in coordination with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, bravely and valiantly conducted a successful mission that resulted in the elimination of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, and multiple other ISIS leaders,” he said.
He added that the operation demonstrated the strength of the partnership between both countries, noting that it was made possible through months of coordination.
“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.
“Make no mistake, our two nations will relentlessly pursue and neutralise terrorist threats and are committed to protecting our people and interests,” Anderson said.
AFRICOM said al-Minuki played a key role in ISIS global operations, providing strategic guidance on media, financial activities, weapons development, explosives production and drone manufacturing. It also described him as a central figure in planning attacks and coordinating hostage-taking operations.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier described the operation as a “daring joint operation” that inflicted significant losses on ISIS networks in the region.
The release of the footage comes as both countries continue joint counterterrorism operations targeting extremist groups in Nigeria’s northeast and the wider Lake Chad Basin.
𝗩𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗢: 𝗔𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗢𝗠 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮–𝗨𝗦 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗦 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿
The United States Africa Command has released footage of a coordinated military operation in northeastern Nigeria that it says led to… pic.twitter.com/BPsUZtm4Kj
