A joint operation by the Nigerian armed forces and the US military has killed 175 Islamic State fighters, Nigeria's defence headquarters said on Tuesday.
It said the joint airstrikes, which began a few days ago, led to the destruction of Islamic State checkpoints, weapons depots, logistics centres, military equipment and the extremist organization's financial networks.
At the weekend, US President Donald Trump said joint US-Nigeria strikes had also killed the militia's deputy leader in Africa, Abu Bilal al-Minuki.
The two countries previously carried out a joint airstrike against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria in December.
Trump said at the time that militants had killed Christians in the country, although Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry stressed the operation was focused on counter-terrorism not religion.
In February, the US then sent 100 soldiers to the north-east of the country to train and provide technical support to Nigerian forces in operations against Islamist militants and other armed groups.
Several terrorist groups are active in the north and north-east of the West African nation, including the Islamists of Boko Haram and other regional offshoots.
Northern Nigeria also borders the Sahel state of Niger, where several militant groups linked to Islamic State are also active.
