The Nigerian military has announced the elimination of 175 militants of the "Islamic State" group during a joint operation with the United States in the northeast of the country. This was reported by the Associated Press, according to UNN.
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According to the military, the operation lasted several days. AFRICOM command confirmed the joint actions and stated that there were no casualties among American or Nigerian personnel. The U.S. deployed its military to Nigeria back in February, officially for advisory and training support; however, the current operation indicates a more active involvement by Washington.
On the eve, the Nigerian army also reported the liquidation of one of the leaders of the West African cell of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Mainuki. On Tuesday, the military announced the elimination of another high-ranking militant – Abd al-Wahhab, who was responsible for financing, logistics, and planning attacks.
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Army spokesperson Samaila Uba reported that weapon depots, checkpoints, and financial networks of the militants were destroyed during the strikes. Both the "Boko Haram" and ISIS groups, as well as numerous kidnapping gangs, continue to operate in the region. According to the UN, the conflict in Nigeria has already claimed thousands of lives.
The head of AFRICOM, U.S. Air Force General Dagvin Anderson, stated in Congress that Africa is currently the "epicenter of global terrorism." He emphasized that the success of the operation was made possible thanks to close cooperation with the Nigerian armed forces. At the same time, Anderson expressed concern over the "growing intelligence black hole" in the Sahel region following the reduction of Western presence and the strengthening of Russia's influence in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
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