On May 16, 2026, US and Nigerian authorities announced that a joint counter-terrorism force operating in Borno State, Northeastern Nigeria, successfully neutralized Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a high-ranking leader within the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and the reported director of global operations for IS. According to Nigerian intelligence, al-Minuki’s elimination, followed by additional coordinated Nigerian Air Force airstrikes on May 26, has severely demoralized local ISWAP cells and thrown their operations into disarray. The recent successes generated by the US-Nigerian cooperation against ISWAP mark a positive turn in the ongoing counter-terrorism operations of the Nigerian military. This trend emerges amid concerning battlefield developments by ISWAP militants, including improved capabilities to launch coordinated, simultaneous daytime and nighttime attacks, aerial attacks involving drones, and ground raids spearheaded by SVBIEDs that guide militants.
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