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US, Nigeria carry out fresh strikes on Islamic State group

France24 · · 751 words
US-Nigeria security cooperation Regional instability in Nigeria Counter-terrorism Operations
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20260518-us-nigeria-carry-out-fresh-strikes-o…

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Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

16 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

schedule Pending 6
verified Verified By Reference 3
check_circle Corroborated 3
info Single Source 3
help Insufficient Evidence 1
verified
“The United States and Nigeria carried out air strikes against Islamic State group targets in northeastern Nigeria on Sunday.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia explicitly confirms that on 25 December 2025, the US in coordination with the Nigerian government conducted strikes against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On 25 December 2025, the United States in coordination with the Nigerian government conducted strikes against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_United_States_strikes_in_…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and by its Arabic acronym Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadist m…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a timeline of Islamic State (IS)-related events that occurred in 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Islamic_State_…
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“the Nigerian army saying at least 20 jihadists were killed.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
While there are reports of Nigerian military airstrikes killing jihadists or bandits, none of the provided evidence specifically links a '20 jihadists killed' figure to the joint US-Nigerian operation described in the claim.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Kelechi Promise Iheanacho (; Igbo: Ịheanachọ; born 3 October 1996) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Scottish Premiership club Celtic and the Nigeria national team. Ihe…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelechi_Iheanacho
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of 923,769 …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Nigerian men's national under-20 football team represents Nigeria in men's international football also known as the Nigeria Under-20s or nicknamed the Flying Eagles. The Flying Eagles is the youth…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria_national_under-20_foot…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“the United States and Nigeria announced that a joint operation in the west African country killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, an IS group leader described as the group's second-in-command worldwide who has been under US sanctions since 2023.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources confirm the death of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki (IS second-in-command) in a joint US-Nigerian operation in Borno State on May 16, 2026.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Nasir Muhammad 'Awad al-Ghidan al-Harbi (20 July 1974 - 16 October 2017), known by his kunya Abu Bilal al-Harbi, was a Saudi Arabian citizen who was the governor of the Islamic State's branch in Yemen…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Bilal_al-Harbi
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and by its Arabic acronym Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadist m…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — On 16 May 2026, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the second-in-command of the Islamic State and a senior figure of Islamic State – West Africa Province, was killed by a joint US-Nigerian operation in Metele, Born…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Abu-Bilal_al-Minuki
+ 2 more evidence sources
info
“AFRICOM said "Intelligence confirmed the targets were ISIS militants", adding that no US or Nigerian forces were "harmed" during the operation.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While AFRICOM's general role is documented and the operation itself is corroborated, the specific quote regarding intelligence confirmation and no forces being harmed is not explicitly found in the provided evidence snippets.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM, U.S. AFRICOM, and AFRICOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense, headquartered at Kelley Barracks in …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Africa_Command
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Many states began to intervene against the Islamic State (IS), in both the Syrian civil war and the War in Iraq (2013–2017), in response to its rapid territorial gains from its 2014 invasion of Iraq, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_against_the_Islamic_State
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On 25 December 2025, the United States in coordination with the Nigerian government conducted strikes against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_United_States_strikes_in_…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“US President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu confirmed the development”
CORROBORATED
Web search results explicitly state that the US and Nigerian presidents (Trump and Tinubu) confirmed the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On 16 March 2026, three suspected suicide bombings were carried out at three locations in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. The bombings occurred during a year-long peaceful stretch in the city. At lea…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Maiduguri_bombings
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu (born 29 March 1952) is a Nigerian politician serving as the 16th and current president of Nigeria since 2023. He previously served as the governor of Lagos State f…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bola_Tinubu
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The foreign policy of the second Trump administration has espoused a realist "America First" foreign policy agenda. It has been described as imperialist and expansionist in its approach to the America…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_policy_of_the_second_T…
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“Nigeria has long battled jihadist insurgents, including Boko Haram and regional offshoots of the IS organisation, primarily the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).”
SINGLE SOURCE
Wikipedia and other sources confirm Nigeria's long-term battle with Boko Haram and its offshoot, ISWAP.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — However, Boko Haram and ISWAP later became enemies since 2021 or even a year before. ISWAP gunmen targeted Shekau in an attack carried out on 20 May 2021.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boko_Haram
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Fighting between Boko Haram and ISWAP militants left Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau killed in June 2021.An anti-Boko Haram militia and Nigerian government-backed Civilian Joint Task Force has relea…
https://theowp.org/crisis_index/boko-haram-insurgency-2/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Boko Haram’s ideology and tactics have alienated Nigerians making it hard for Boko Haram to recruit new members. As a result, the group has resorted to the conscription of thousands of boys and girls,…
https://www.counterextremism.com/countries/nigeria-extremism…
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“Since late 2025, the country has been under pressure from the United States, which has accused it of not doing enough to combat the Islamist militant threat.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple reports indicate US pressure and military deployment (100-200 troops) to Nigeria to assist in combating Islamist insurgents during the Trump administration.
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web search NEUTRAL — It’s a collaborative effort.” The US military’s Africa Command (Africom) said the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities. An earlier Africom statement p…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/dec/26/us-nige…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Nigerian authorities have announced that approximately 100 United States military personnel have entered the country to assist in countering Islamist insurgents. The spokesperson for Nigeria’s Defence…
https://8am.media/eng/nigeria-100-us-military-personnel-depl…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The United States is planning to send about 200 troops to Nigeria to train the African nation's military to fight Islamist militants, a U.S. official said on Tuesday, weeks after President Donald Trum…
https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/news/africa/us-to-send…
info
“a recent report by global conflict monitor ACLED, which showed that Islamic State activity in Africa hit a record high in the first quarter of 2026.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The web search results for this claim returned irrelevant information about eBay and did not provide any data from ACLED regarding 2026 activity.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — ","skin":"ebay","web_ui": {"type":"web_ui","sign_in_url":"/plugins/common/feature/oauth2sso_v2/sso_login_redirect","registration_url":"/plugins/common/feature/oauth2sso_v2/sso_login_redirect","redirec…
https://community.ebay.com/api/2.0
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Everything you do with regard to your eBay Store—the images you pick and the words you write—says something about your brand, so it’s critical to make sure you are sending the right message. Here are …
https://community.ebay.com/legacyfs/online/QuickTipSheet_Reb…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — eBay Community Albums for Community Albums for Community
https://community.ebay.com/t5/media/v2/gallerypage/page/2471…
help
“As director of global operations for the IS group, the slain al-Minuki provided strategic guidance on media and financial operations and "the development and manufacturing of weapons, explosives and drones"”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided or found in the search results regarding the specific duties of al-Minuki as director of global operations.
verified
“Nigeria has in recent months claimed success in killing jihadists after US airstrikes carried out on Christmas Day in collaboration with Nigerian forces in northwestern Sokoto State that targeted fighters from the IS in the Sahel group”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia confirms that on 25 December 2025, the US and Nigeria conducted strikes against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria (Sokoto state is in the northwest).
schedule
“Washington has since deployed hundreds of troops to Nigeria to support and train its forces.”
PENDING
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“46 people, most of them children, were kidnapped during an attack on three schools in southwest Nigerian last week”
PENDING
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“CAN president for Oyo state Elisha Olukayode Ogundiya said that "46 persons mostly children" aged from two to 16 were seized in the attacks in the southwestern state on Friday.”
PENDING
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“Gunmen simultaneously raided Baptist Nursery and Primary in Yawota, and two other schools in Esiele”
PENDING
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“The attackers seized "some pupils, students and staff members" from the schools, "including the vice principal"”
PENDING
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“The attack forced Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board to order the temporary closure of surrounding schools Friday”
PENDING
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.