Killing al-Minuki is a real blow to ISIS, but one strike doesn't fix a broken counterterrorism strategy. Nigeria's vast ungoverned spaces keep feeding jihadist networks, and even with 200 U.S. troops and drone support, the military can't hold territory after clearing it. With over 3.7 million Nigerians displaced and kidnappings topping 1,100 in just four months, the crisis is outpacing every tactical win on the battlefield.
The U.S.-Nigeria partnership is delivering real, measurable results against ISIS — 175 fighters eliminated, weapons caches destroyed and the group's global second-in-command taken off the battlefield for good. AFRICOM's Gen. Anderson called al-Minuki the most active and impactful terrorist in the world, and his death severely disrupts ISIS command and external attack networks. Sustained pressure, precision strikes and strong intelligence sharing are proving this approach works.
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