Decisive Blow in Metele: Joint Nigeria-US Strike Eliminates ISIS Second-in-Command
In a significant escalation of counter-terrorism operations, the Nigeria Defence Headquarters and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) have successfully executed a high-stakes joint operation in the Metele area of Borno State . The mission, carried out on May 16, 2026, resulted in the elimination of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the global second-in-command for ISIS and a primary director of operations for the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). An ISIS member making a speech on a desert in front of his flag. A Complex Precision Mission in Borno The operation targeted a fortified and concealed ISWAP compound near the border with Chad, an area long used by militants as a stronghold for launching attacks against Nigerian Army bases. According to official statements from AFRICOM , the mission was a "meticulously planned and complex" air-land strike. President Bola Tinubu and U.S. officials confirmed that the strike effectively dismantled a major operational hub, killing al-Minuki along...