Three senior commanders of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have reportedly been eliminated in a joint air operation by the United States and Nigerian forces in the Lake Chad Basin.

The insurgents, identified as Abu Huraira, Ba Yuram and Mallam Haruna, were said to be a close lieutenants of a top ISWAP leader, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, who was recently eliminated in a separate precision strike.

The death of al-Minuki was earlier announced by former United States President, Donald Trump, and later confirmed by Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in May, 2026.

According to counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama, the deaths of the three commanders were verified through battle damage assessments and multiple intelligence sources.

The report described the slain commanders as important figures within ISWAP’s operational, logistical and security structures across the Lake Chad Basin.

Abu Huraira was said to have coordinated field operations in the Tumbun Mota axis, while Ba Yuram reportedly oversaw logistics, procurement and weapons supply networks for the group.

Mallam Haruna was described as a close protection officer responsible for the security and movements of senior commanders.

The report also indicated that other insurgent figures, including Abubakar Buduma, sustained fatal injuries during related strikes.

The strikes also reportedly destroyed logistics warehouses, vehicles and supply depots, a development expected to weaken the group’s ability to sustain coordinated attacks.

Analysts believe the elimination of al-Minuki and his key lieutenants has created a significant leadership vacuum within ISWAP, potentially disrupting the group’s operational capacity in the region.

Security sources further revealed that several foreign fighters, including suspected ISIS-linked drone operators, were among those killed in the operations, alongside operatives connected to ISWAP’s media and propaganda units.