The Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, has confirmed the death of one of its senior figures, Abu-Bilal al-Mainuki, following a recent operation by United States Special Forces targeting the group’s enclave near the Lake Chad region in North-East Nigeria.
This is contained in a statement released through the extremist group’s media channels, in which the terrorists described members of their media unit killed during the raid as martyrs.
The confirmation is coming about two weeks after a coordinated US special operations mission reportedly targeted an ISWAP media and command facility located deep within the Lake Chad basin forests.
It was earlier disclosed that the operation involved a precision airborne assault supported by surveillance drones, intelligence assets and attack aircraft targeting high-value Islamic State-linked operatives.
No fewer than three foreign ISIS elements were killed during the strike alongside several women believed to be attached to the insurgent camp.
The group appeared to acknowledge the elimination of Abu-Bilal al-Mainuki while attempting to glorify the operation’s casualties.
“And ponder, O servants of Allah, what prompted crusader America to cross all these distances all the way to these forests,” the statement read.
According to the group, the US forces spent six months tracking Abu-Bilal al-Mainuki using all types of drones before launching what it described as a massive multi-point airborne landing involving large forces and heavy gunfire.
It stated further that American forces attempted to capture a single Muslim man in the jungles of Africa.
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