May 18 (Reuters) – The U.S. Africa Command said on Monday that it had carried out additional airstrikes against Islamic State in northeastern Nigeria on Sunday in coordination with the Nigerian government.
No U.S. or Nigerian forces were harmed during the strikes, AFRICOM said.
On Saturday, the U.S. and Nigerian forces conducted an operation that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the second in command of Islamic State globally, in the northeast of the African country, U.S. President Donald Trump and his counterpart in Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said.
Tinubu said Nigerian forces worked closely with the U.S. military in what he called a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State.
Trump, who has previously accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from Islamist militants, thanked the Nigerian government for its partnership in the operation.
Borno has endured an insurgency waged by Boko Haram and its splinter group Islamic State West Africa Province for 17 years which has killed thousands and displaced 2 million people.
(Reporting by Akanksha Khushi in Bengaluru; Writing by Chijioke OhuochaEditing by Alex Richardson)
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