Nigeria says joint US strikes kill 175 ISIL fighters in country's northeast
The Nigerian military says joint air operations with the United States in the country's northeast have killed 175 fighters linked to ISIL. The strikes form part of a weeks-long campaign in Borno state.
Nigeria's armed forces say 175 fighters linked to ISWAP, the West African branch of ISIL, have been killed in the latest phase of joint air operations conducted with the United States. The bulk of the strikes took place inside Borno state.
The statement says reconnaissance flights, target acquisition and drone strikes were coordinated with US air force elements. The Nigerian government described the campaign as the most coordinated push in recent years against an insurgency that has killed more than 40,000 people since 2009.
The operation has reportedly accelerated since US President Donald Trump criticised Nigeria last month for what he called insufficient cooperation on counter-insurgency. The toll has not been independently verified, and international agencies are expected to publish their own civilian-impact assessments in the coming days.
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