The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has confirmed the death of one of its senior commanders, Abu-Bilal al-Mainuki, following a recent joint military operation reportedly carried out by United States special forces in collaboration with Nigerian security operatives in the Lake Chad region of North-East Nigeria.
The terrorist group disclosed the development through a statement circulated on its media platforms, where it described members of its media team killed during the operation as “martyrs.”
The confirmation comes weeks after reports emerged of a coordinated assault targeting an ISWAP command and media base located deep within the Lake Chad basin.
According to security reports, the operation involved precision airstrikes backed by surveillance drones, intelligence gathering assets and attack aircraft aimed at eliminating key Islamic State-linked fighters operating in the area.
Sources revealed that at least three foreign ISIS-affiliated fighters were killed during the mission, alongside several women believed to be connected to the insurgent enclave.
In its statement, ISWAP admitted that al-Mainuki died during the attack, while also claiming that American forces had tracked the commander for several months through aerial surveillance before launching the raid.
The insurgent group further confirmed that its media headquarters was one of the major targets destroyed during the operation, adding that those present at the facility were killed in the assault.
Although ISWAP did not provide an official casualty figure, intelligence sources suggested that as many as 175 fighters may have died during the operation.
Security experts believe the mission significantly weakened ISWAP’s command structure and media operations within the Lake Chad axis, dealing a major setback to the group’s activities in the region.
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