US military conducts airstrikes against ISIL militants in Nigeria region

US and Nigeria Conduct Additional Air Strikes Against ISIL Fighters in Northeastern Nigeria

The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) has conducted additional air strikes against ISIL fighters in northeastern Nigeria, in coordination with the Nigerian government. The strikes occurred on Sunday, according to AFRICOM’s statement released on Monday.

No US or Nigerian forces were harmed during the strikes, which targeted ISIL fighters, including Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of the group. Al-Minuki was killed in a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin, along with several of his lieutenants.

The removal of al-Minuki is expected to diminish ISIL’s capacity to plan attacks that threaten the safety and security of the US and its partners. AFRICOM remains committed to leveraging specialized US capabilities in support of its partners to defeat shared security threats.

This latest wave of US-Nigeria coordinated attacks comes as dozens of US soldiers have been deployed to Nigeria in recent months to engage in intelligence sharing, provide technical support, and help fight against armed groups. The Nigerian Defence Headquarters has stated that US soldiers will not play a direct combat role but will share technical expertise under the full command authority of Nigerian forces.

The strikes follow previous air operations by US forces in northwestern Nigeria, which targeted ISIL-affiliated fighters last Christmas.

Source: Al Jazeera