The United States and Nigeria conducted a joint operation in which 175 members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were killed. These fighters were said to be both simple militants and senior commanders.
The Trump administration sent troops to Nigeria back in February in what was described as an “advisory and training role”, though the recent operations indicate a more active role for the US military in the African nation.
The latest strikes come days after Abuja and Washington announced that a joint military operation in the Lake Chad Basin killed senior Islamic State commander Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, who US President Donald Trump described as the group’s global second-in-command. –RT
On Tuesday, the Nigerian military stated that these strikes were conducted over the past few days. It added that the joint operation destroyed weapons, checkpoints, and financial networks across the region. US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed the operation and said no American or Nigerian troops were harmed during the attacks.
“The removal of these terrorists diminishes the group’s capacity to plan attacks that threaten the safety and security of the U.S. and our partners,” AFRICOM said in a statement. Nigerian military spokesman Samaila Uba said one of the senior leaders of ISWAP “eliminated from the battlefield” was Abd-al Wahhab, who was responsible for “coordinating attacks and distributing propaganda.” ISWAP senior member Abu Musa al-Mangawi, and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir, who leads the group’s media production team, were also killed, according to Uba.
According to a report by RT, Washington increased its military cooperation with Abuja after a diplomatic row over Trump’s claims that Christians were being killed in large numbers in Africa’s most populous country. Nigeria denied allegations of a “Christian genocide,” saying armed groups target people of all faiths, while Trump said he was considering military options, including airstrikes, to stop the alleged killings.
The US also warned of terrorist attacks in Nigeria back in March.
U.S. Warns of Terrorist Attacks In Nigeria