By Ajibola Olaide, JKNewsMedia Reporter
MORE THAN 20 Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters have been killed in multiple United States (US)-Nigeria air strikes in Metele, Borno state, the Nigeria Defence Headquarters (NDH) has said.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, NDH, noted in a statement on Monday that the strikes followed observed convergence and migration of terrorist elements.
He stated that the ongoing operations followed the neutralisation of ISIS commander Abu Bilal al Minuki and formed part of sustained efforts to disrupt terrorist networks, remove them from the battlefield and deny terrorists any safe haven within Nigeria.
He said the Armed Forces of Nigeria will continue to aggressively defend the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the nation.
He added that terrorists who threaten citizens, communities and national stability will be located and defeated, stressing that there will be no safe haven for all terrorists anywhere in Nigeria.
The United States Africa Command confirmed the strikes on its website, stating that kinetic strikes against ISIS in Northeastern Nigeria were carried out on Sunday in coordination with the Nigerian government.
It said intelligence confirmed the targets were ISIS militants and noted that complete assessments were ongoing, while adding that no US or Nigerian forces were harmed.
The command also stated that the removal of the terrorists diminishes the group’s capacity to plan attacks that threaten the safety and security of the US and its partners.
Last Saturday, US President Donald Trump announced that Abu Bilal al Minuki, described as ISIS second in command, had been killed in Nigeria.
He said the operation was carried out in a complex mission involving Nigerian and American troops, and shared updates in a social media post in the early hours of Saturday.
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