ISWAP says its Commander Abu-Bilal al-Mainuki was killed In U.S.-Led Airstrike

The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has confirmed the death of one of its senior commanders, Abu-Bilal al-Mainuki.

Al-Mainuki, described as a notorious terrorist leader, was killed alongside several fighters during a recent American military airstrike targeting the group’s enclave in the Lake Chad region of North-East Nigeria.
The confirmation was made through a statement circulated on the group’s media channels, where ISWAP referred to members of its media unit killed during the operation as “martyrs.”
The development came about two weeks after reports emerged of a coordinated U.S. special operations mission that targeted an ISWAP media and command facility deep within the Lake Chad Basin.
The operation reportedly involved a precision airborne assault supported by surveillance drones, intelligence assets and attack aircraft aimed at high-value Islamic State-linked operatives.
At least three foreign ISIS-linked fighters were reportedly killed during the raid, alongside several women believed to be associated with the insurgent camp.
According to the statement, ISWAP acknowledged the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Mainuki while portraying those killed as committed members of the terrorist group.
The group also claimed that U.S. forces had tracked the commander for months using drones before launching what it described as a large-scale airborne assault involving intense gunfire.
ISWAP further confirmed that its media headquarters was directly targeted during the operation, adding that those present at the facility were killed in the strike.
Although the group did not disclose the exact number of casualties, intelligence sources indicated that as many as 175 fighters may have been killed during the operation, dealing a major blow to ISWAP’s media infrastructure and command network in the Lake Chad axis.
The raid is believed to be part of wider counterterrorism efforts aimed at disrupting extremist activities and preventing the re-establishment of transnational terrorist networks in West Africa.