The United States military’s Africa Command (AFRICOM) has conducted additional air strikes against ISIL fighters in northeastern Nigeria in coordination with the Nigerian government. These strikes, referred to as “additional kinetic,” took place on Sunday without any harm to US or Nigerian forces. This action follows the recent announcement of the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second in command of ISIL, in a joint Nigerian-US military operation in the Lake Chad Basin. The US remains committed to supporting partners in defeating shared security threats.
Why It Matters
The coordinated attacks by the US and Nigeria come at a crucial time as they target key ISIL figures and diminish the group’s capacity to plan attacks. The killing of al-Minuki is expected to create a significant leadership and financing vacuum within the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP). These efforts also highlight the ongoing collaboration between the US and Nigeria in combating armed groups in the region, with US soldiers providing technical support and intelligence sharing to Nigerian forces.
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