Nigeria-US Joint Strikes Kill Over 20 Islamic State Militants in Expanded Borno Offensive

A joint military offensive by the Nigeria armed forces and the United States has intensified in northeastern Nigeria, with officials confirming that more than 20 Islamic State-linked militants were killed in a series of coordinated operations across Borno State and the Lake Chad Basin region .

The strikes, centred in Metele and nearby communities , targeted entrenched cells of Islamic State and are part of an expanding counterterrorism campaign aimed at disrupting militant mobility, command structures, and cross-border supply routes near Niger and Chad.

Military officials said the operation followed the recent killing of Abu Bakr al-Mainuki , a senior Islamic State West Africa Province commander described as a key operational and strategic figure involved in logistics, finance, and propaganda networks. His death is being viewed by security analysts as one of the most significant leadership losses for the group in the region in recent years.

The latest phase of strikes reportedly involved close intelligence sharing, drone surveillance, and precision air operations , with Nigerian ground forces supporting aerial assets. The US military confirmed that no personnel were killed or injured, and described the mission as part of sustained joint counterinsurgency efforts.

Officials also indicated that the campaign is not a single engagement but part of ongoing “kinetic operations” , with additional follow-up strikes carried out over the weekend in suspected militant hideouts, suggesting an expanded operational tempo in the region.

The deepening cooperation between Washington and Abuja follows earlier diplomatic tensions, after which military ties were strengthened to address escalating violence in Nigeria’s northeast, where Boko Haram and ISWAP factions continue to operate.

Nigeria’s military said the objective remains the dismantling of insurgent networks and denial of safe havens , though the broader campaign continues to face scrutiny due to past incidents involving civilian casualties in airstrike operations, which authorities deny.

Security analysts note that while leadership decapitation has disrupted militant planning, insurgent activity in Borno remains persistent , with both groups frequently regrouping in remote terrain around the Lake Chad axis.