{"id":2603919,"date":"2026-05-18T10:20:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T14:20:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-targets-isis-fighters-in-nigeria-with-series-of-strikes\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T10:21:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T14:21:54","slug":"us-targets-isis-fighters-in-nigeria-with-series-of-strikes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-targets-isis-fighters-in-nigeria-with-series-of-strikes\/","title":{"rendered":"US targets ISIS fighters in Nigeria with series of strikes"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fus-targets-isis-fighters-in-nigeria-with-series-of-strikes%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2603919&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) carried out additional air strikes on Sunday against ISIS targets in northeastern Nigeria, following a busy week of operations. AFRICOM said the targets were confirmed ISIS fighters, and assessments were still ongoing, while also stating the strikes were coordinated with Nigeria\u2019s government.<\/p>\n<p>Nigeria\u2019s Armed Forces spokesman Samaila Uba said more than 20 ISIS\/ISWAP fighters were killed, citing intelligence about \u201cconvergence and migration\u201d of terrorist elements. AFRICOM also <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >shared thermal footage<\/a> of the strike and reported that no U.S. or Nigerian forces were harmed.<\/p>\n<p>Analysts noted the weekend operations appear to mark a more public shift in the U.S. role in Nigeria-from intelligence and training toward more direct combat action, suggesting AFRICOM may have greater freedom to operate. The Sunday strikes came after a Saturday operation that killed Abu-Bilal al Minuki, ISIS\u2019s director of global operations and second in command, which had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-senators-work-to-block-bidens-plans-literally\/\" title=\"GOP senators actively obstruct Biden&#039;s plans.\">drawn significant attention<\/a>. The article also links heightened focus on Nigeria to concerns about attempts to target Christians,prompting increased U.S.troop and asset deployments.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p>The U.S. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/military\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"266\">military<\/a> continued the intensification of its campaign against <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/isis\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"108\">ISIS<\/a> in Nigeria, carrying out another wave of strikes on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>The strikes concluded a busy week for AFRICOM in Nigeria, coming off its Saturday operation that killed Abu-Bilal al Minuki, ISIS\u2019s director of global operations and second in command. AFRICOM said assessments are ongoing around its Sunday strikes but that the targets were confirmed ISIS fighters.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4572237\/israel-turkey-clash-gaza-aid-flotilla-interception\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Israel and Turkey clash over Gaza aid flotilla interception<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4572175\/small-number-americans-affected-ebola-outbreak-congo\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>\u2018Small number of Americans\u2019 affected by Ebola outbreak in Congo: CDC<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4572079\/taiwan-us-ambassador-arms-sale-despite-trump-delay\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Taiwan\u2019s US <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/taiwans-us-ambassador-confident-arms-sale-will-go-through-despite-trump-delay\/\" title=\"Taiwan&#039;s US ambassador confident arms sale will go through despite ... delay\">ambassador confident arms sale<\/a> will go through despite Trump delay<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>\u201cThe removal of these terrorists diminishes the group\u2019s capacity to plan attacks that threaten the safety and security of the U.S. and our partners,\u201d it <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africom.mil\/pressrelease\/36570\">said<\/a>, adding that the strikes were done in coordination with Nigeria\u2019s government.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Nigerian Armed Forces spokesman Samaila Uba <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DHQNigeria\/status\/2056276561116946455?s=20\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DHQNigeria\/status\/2056276561116946455?s=20\">said<\/a> more than 20 ISIS fighters were killed in the strikes.<\/p>\n<p>AFRICOM released thermal footage of the strike, showing three alleged ISIS fighters being hit with a missile and presumably killed.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFRICOM?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFRICOM<\/a>, in continued coordination with Nigeria, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/happy-new-year-pentagon-ends-2025-with-a-bang-hits-narco-terrorists-whose-drugs-will-not-kill-americans-this-year\/\" title=\"Happy New Year: Pentagon Ends 2025 with a Bang, Hits Narco-Terrorists Whose Drugs Will Not Kill Americans This Year\">conducted kinetic strikes<\/a> against ISIS fighters in NE Nigeria on May 17. No U.S. or Nigerian forces were harmed. <\/p>\n<p>Full press release: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7xuos8L1MK\">https:\/\/t.co\/7xuos8L1MK<\/a><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFRICOM?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFRICOM<\/a> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Nigeria?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Nigeria<\/a> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CounterTerrorism?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#CounterTerrorism<\/a> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qK8pyky7od\">pic.twitter.com\/qK8pyky7od<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) (@USAfricaCommand) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/USAfricaCommand\/status\/2056271337828577495?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 18, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The Nigerian Armed Forces provided further context around the strikes in its own statement.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFollowing observed convergence and migration of terrorist elements, multiple air strikes were conducted resulting in the elimination of more than 20 ISIS\/ISWAP fighters,\u201d Uba said. \u201cThe ongoing operations follow the neutralisation of ISIS commander Abu-Bilal al-Minuki and are part of sustained efforts to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-iran-nuclear-deal-could-allow-iranian-terrorists-into-us\/\" title=\"New Iran Nuclear Deal Could Allow Iranian Terrorists Into US\">disrupt terrorist networks<\/a>, remove them from the battlefield and deny the terrorists any safe haven within Nigeria.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Armed Forces of Nigeria will continue to aggressively defend the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the nation. Terrorists who threaten our citizens, communities and national stability will be located and defeated,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>Analysts <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/BrantPhilip_\/status\/2056318456631267747?s=20\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/x.com\/BrantPhilip_\/status\/2056318456631267747?s=20\">noted<\/a> that the strikes over the weekend marked a public shift from the U.S.\u2019s publicly advertised role in Nigeria, from being limited to intelligence and training to a more direct combat role. An airstrike targeting just a handful of militants suggests the U.S. was given significant freedom of operation in the country.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4571463\/us-nigeria-kill-isis-leader-terror-christian-africa-trump\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4571463\/us-nigeria-kill-isis-leader-terror-christian-africa-trump\/\">US AND NIGERIA KILL ISIS LEADER WHO TERRORIZED CHRISTIANS IN AFRICA, TRUMP SAYS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Sunday strikes are less notable than Saturday\u2019s al Minuki killing, which earned a lengthy Truth Social post from President Donald Trump. AFRICOM <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africom.mil\/pressrelease\/36568\/isis-number-two-killed-in-nigeria\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.africom.mil\/pressrelease\/36568\/isis-number-two-killed-in-nigeria\">described al Minuki<\/a> as the \u201cmost active terrorist in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nigeria has long been an active front in the global war on terrorism, but the Islamic insurgency has been given newfound attention over the alleged targeting of Christians. The concern led Trump to send troops and deploy more assets to the African country.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>U.S. carried out more strikes on ISIS in Nigeria after al-Minuki<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2653,"featured_media":2603920,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26098667944724.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[40796,3937,37855,19990,57696],"class_list":["post-2603919","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-counterterrorism","tag-isis","tag-military-operations","tag-nigeria","tag-us-strikes"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26098667944724.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2603919","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2653"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2603919"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2603919\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2603923,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2603919\/revisions\/2603923"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2603920"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2603919"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2603919"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2603919"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}