The government of Nigeria and the United States have conducted a new round of coordinated airstrikes against Islamic State jihadists in northeast Nigeria.
The strikes were conducted on Sunday, US Africa Command (Africom) said in a statement issued on Monday.
“Intelligence confirmed the targets were ISIS militants. Complete assessments are ongoing. No US or Nigerian forces were harmed,” it said.
These strikes occurred just two days after a major joint operation successfully neutralized Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as the worldwide second-in-command of ISIS.
He was killed alongside several top lieutenants at a fortified compound located in Metele, Borno State, within the Lake Chad Basin.
Security analysts highlighted that approximately 90% of current ISIS operations have shifted to sub-Saharan Africa, making the Nigerian branch one of the group’s most volatile global factions.
Under the direction of US President Donald Trump, the US military has expanded its footprint in West Africa.
Hundreds of American troops have been deployed to Nigeria over recent months to train host nation forces and manage surveillance and counterterrorism missions.