Nigeria, US launch fresh strikes on IS fighters in north-east

Nigeria and the United States have conducted a new round of air and ground operations targeting Islamic State fighters in the country’s north-east, according to the US military.

US Africa Command (Africom) said the strikes took place on Sunday as part of ongoing efforts against extremist networks in the region. In a statement, it noted: “Intelligence confirmed the targets were ISIS militants. Complete assessments are ongoing. No US or Nigerian forces were harmed,” it said.

The latest action comes just 48 hours after both countries confirmed a separate joint mission that led to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a senior IS figure described as the group’s second-in-command globally. He had also been under United States sanctions since 2023.

Northern Nigeria continues to face sustained violence from IS-linked insurgents as well as armed criminal groups responsible for raids on rural communities and repeated abductions.

Security tensions in the region have also attracted international attention, including criticism from US President Donald Trump, who has claimed that Christians are being targeted in Nigeria.

The Nigerian government has rejected this, maintaining that both Christians and Muslims have suffered from the insecurity.