US and Nigerian forces kill ISIS commander in Lake Chad

A senior commander of the Islamic State group in Nigeria has been killed in a joint military operation involving U.S. and Nigerian forces, according to U.S. officials. The operation is part of a broader counterterrorism effort that U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said was ordered by President Donald Trump to prioritize the protection of Christians in the region.

Hegseth stated that Trump issued the directive approximately a year ago after receiving intelligence about Christians being targeted by ISIS affiliates. The subsequent mission led to the death of Abubakar Mainok, also known as AbuBilal al-Minuki, whom U.S. officials identified as the group's second-in-command in Nigeria. The operation took place in the Lake Chad Basin area of northeast Nigeria earlier this month. Hegseth claimed that intelligence gathered from this operation has since led to the deaths of hundreds of additional ISIS fighters.

Officials described al-Minuki as a senior figure responsible for coordinating attacks against civilians and U.S. interests. The joint operation was characterized as a meticulously planned effort made possible through months of coordination between U.S. Africa Command and the...