This Week's Islamic Massacres > 175 IS militants killed in Nigeria-US operation; 67 dead in western Niger

 

175 Islamic State militants killed in Nigeria-US operation

Abd-al Wahhab, a senior leader of the group responsible for coordinating attacks and distributing propaganda, was among those “eliminated from the battlefield,” officials say

Published 20 May, 2026 10:06 | Updated 20 May, 2026 11:42

A joint operation by Nigerian and US forces has killed at least 175 Islamic State militants, including senior commanders, in the northeast of the West African nation, the authorities have said.

I suspect that this operation provoked the ISWAP or Boko Haram kidnapping of four dozen students within a couple of days. They would use them as hostages so as not to be bombed by US and Nigerian drones.

Nigeria’s military said on Tuesday that the strikes were conducted over several days against Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, destroying weapons, checkpoints, and financial networks across the region. US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed the operation and said no American or Nigerian troops were harmed.

“The removal of these terrorists diminishes the group’s capacity to plan attacks that threaten the safety and security of the U.S. and our partners,” AFRICOM said in a statement.

READ MORE: The illusion of stability: Why foreign airstrikes can’t stop the terror

Nigerian military spokesman Samaila Uba said one of the senior leaders of ISWAP “eliminated from the battlefield” was Abd-al Wahhab, who was responsible for “coordinating attacks and distributing propaganda.” ISWAP senior member Abu Musa al-Mangawi, and Abu al-Muthanna al-Muhajir, who leads the group’s media production team, were also killed, according to Uba.

The latest strikes come days after Abuja and Washington announced that a joint military operation in the Lake Chad Basin killed senior Islamic State commander Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, who US President Donald Trump described as the group’s global second-in-command.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said the operation showed “effective collaboration” between the two countries in the fight against terrorism.

Nigeria’s northeast has been the center of a long-running insurgency by Boko Haram and ISWAP, which have targeted military bases, villages, schools, and transport routes. The country has also seen a surge in mass kidnappings and deadly raids in recent months, despite increased security measures, including a state of emergency declared by the government.

Read more

Does ‘Christian genocide’ capture the reality of this nation’s security map?

Washington increased military cooperation with Abuja after a diplomatic row over Trump’s claims that Christians were being killed in large numbers in Africa’s most populous country. Nigeria denied allegations of a “Christian genocide,” saying armed groups target people of all faiths, while Trump said he was considering military options, including airstrikes, to stop the alleged killings.

The Trump administration sent troops to Nigeria in February in what was described as an advisory and training role, though the recent operations indicate a more active role. AFRICOM commander Gen. Dagvin Anderson told a congressional hearing on Tuesday that Nigeria played a pivotal role in developing targets, intelligence, and operational support for the operation.

© RT / RT

Niger: Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims murders 67 people in jihad raid on military engineering unit

May 20, 2026 9:00 am By Robert Spencer10 Comments

Everybody knows in the West, or thinks he knows, that Islam is a religion of peace and all that, and so the question of why a group that calls itself the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims would so regularly engage in mass murder remains unexplained. We don’t see a group called the Group for the Support of Christianity and Christians regularly committing mass murder. Why the difference? Everyone in the West knows, or thinks he knows, that all religions have their “extremists.” Yet we only see stories such as this one involving Muslims, never anyone of any other religion. Now, why is that?

Bon voyage sortie Tillabéri vera Niamey by Barke11, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

At Least 67 Killed as JNIM Fighters Overrun Niger Military Base Near Mali Border

Zagazola, May 17, 2026 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):

At least 67 people, including soldiers and civilians, were reportedly killed after suspected jihadist fighters attacked a Nigerien military engineering unit in Garbougna, near the Mali border.

Security and local sources said the attack occurred on Thursday, May 14, 2026, in the Tillabéri region of western Niger, an area frequently targeted by armed extremist groups operating within the Sahel.

According to the sources, the military unit was engaged in the construction of a bridge in the area when heavily armed attackers stormed the base in what has been described as one of the deadliest assaults in recent months.

The attackers reportedly destroyed the entire camp during the operation.

Sources said several civilians working around the project site were among those killed in the assault, while many others sustained injuries or fled into nearby communities….

The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims later claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement issued hours after the incident….

Tillabéri region, Niger

Corruption is Everywhere > Sánchez's advisor investigated in kickback scheme; Chile calls for fight against organized crime; Four Nigerian ministers accused of fraud

 

Former Spanish PM Zapatero investigated in kickback scheme

By Danielle Haynes    

National police agents gather confiscated files and material into a vehicle of the Spanish Central Operative Unit during a police raid at the office of former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in Madrid on Tuesday. Photo by Rodrigo Jimenez/EPA

May 20 (UPI) -- Former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has been placed under criminal investigation on accusations he was improperly involved in the bailout of a Venezuelan airline during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Spanish National High Court announced the investigation Tuesday, accusing Zapatero of receiving kickbacks of up to $2.4 million for influencing Spanish leaders to award the bailout to the airline, The New York Times reported. Zapatero served as prime minister from 2004 until 2011 and his alleged wrongdoing took place about a decade after he left office.

While multiple former prime ministers have been questioned in corruption cases in the past, this is the first time one has been named in a criminal investigation, The Guardian reported.

Zapatero issued a video statement denying the allegations.

"All my public and private actions have always been carried out in full compliance with the law," he said.

The airline in question, Plus Ultra, had not released a comment as of Wednesday afternoon, the Times reported.

Conservative leaders hit out at Zapatero, a liberal, in response to the investigation. It's brought negative attention to current Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, an ally of Zapatero.

"The racket is collapsing, and the kingpins of the plot are starting to fall," said Miguel Ángel Tellado, the parliamentary spokesman for the Popular Party. "We are not just talking about the former prime minister, but about Sánchez's main adviser."

Read More

• Son of Spanish fashion tycoon Isak Andic arrested for his death
• Spain's Fermin Lopez to undergo foot surgery, World Cup in doubt
• Chile calls regional summit to fight organized crime
• Jan. 6 police sue Trump administration over rioter fund

Chile calls regional summit to fight organized crime

By Francisca Orellana    

Speaking about the upcoming regional crime and border security summit, Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs Francisco Perez Mackenna said, “I believe governments in the region understand that to confront the scourge of organized crime we must work together, share information and coordinate efforts." Photo by Luis Gandarillas/EPA

SANTIAGO, Chile, May 20 (UPI) -- Chile has invited Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Ecuador to attend the first "Secure Border" summit May 28 to coordinate a regional response to organized crime and border security threats.

Chilean Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna said foreign ministers and security officials from the participating countries are expected to attend the meeting.

"I believe governments in the region understand that to confront the scourge of organized crime we must work together, share information and coordinate efforts. All invited countries quickly agreed to join this summit," Pérez Mackenna told UPI.

He said it was especially significant that Bolivia and Peru rapidly joined the initiative because it reflects a shared interest in addressing common security challenges.

"We face similar problems and want to fight them together. This summit is the first step in a joint regional effort against transnational crime," he said.

Officials hope the meeting will produce agreements for coordinated action against organized criminal networks.

The summit comes amid closer political alignment among several South American governments and growing pressure to contain rising crime rates across the region.

"The political affinity and strong diplomatic relations certainly facilitate these types of agreements because they create conditions of trust and strategic alignment between governments and their institutions," Patricio Santos, a retired general from Chile's national police force, Carabineros, and deputy director of the Comprehensive Security Center at Universidad Finis Terrae, told UPI.

Santos said trust between countries is especially important in security matters because cooperation often requires intelligence sharing, police coordination and joint efforts in border areas.

Although Latin America has historically maintained bilateral and multilateral security cooperation mechanisms, Santos said these meetings have become increasingly important due to the continued rise of transnational organized crime, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, smuggling, arms trafficking and irregular migration facilitated by criminal groups.

International indicators such as the Global Organized Crime Index show that between 2021 and 2025, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru experienced rising levels of organized criminal activity, while also showing declines in institutional resilience.

"That is especially relevant because resilience measures the ability of states to contain corruption, strengthen institutions and effectively confront criminal threats," Santos said.

Alfonso Kaiser, a professor of military strategy at Universidad de los Andes, told UPI that transnational criminal organizations exploit legal loopholes across different countries.

"There is a lot of imitation in all of this. It is not necessarily coordinated between criminal organizations, but countries face common challenges such as identifying money routes, which requires prior intelligence work," Kaiser said.

Santos said criminal organizations' ability to adapt requires increasing levels of international cooperation, intelligence sharing and permanent operational coordination.

"The real challenge is not only signing agreements, but sustaining real coordination capacities, institutional trust and permanent evaluation of results over time," he said.

He added that while summits are important as a starting point, their practical legitimacy will depend on whether they lead to concrete and measurable actions on the ground.

Kaiser said achieving results and advancing joint protocols will be essential, including measures such as mechanisms to return migrants to their countries of origin.

"It is a first step, but there is still a long road ahead," he said.

Read More

• Venezuelans' presence in Chile's labor market declines
• Economists warn of fiscal risks in Chile reform plan
• Chile, Argentina report rise in deadly hantavirus cases

=============================================================================

Nigeria arrests ‘fleeing’ ex-minister sentenced for fraud

Saleh Mamman went “underground” after being convicted for corruption, the African state’s anti-graft agency has said

Published 20 May, 2026 12:51 | Updated 20 May, 2026 13:55

©  X/@officialEFCC

Nigerian anti-graft authorities have arrested former Power Minister Saleh Mamman, days after he was sentenced in absentia to 75 years in prison for fraud and money laundering linked to major state-backed electricity projects.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said Mamman was arrested early Tuesday in the Rigasa area of Kaduna State after “weeks of intensive surveillance and intelligence gathering.” 

“For us, getting the convict to serve his jail terms is extremely important in view of the seriousness with which we are tackling corrupt practices,” EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede told reporters, adding that Mamman would be transferred to the correctional authorities.

Mamman was found guilty on May 7 on all 12 counts related to the diversion of funds meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric power projects meant to boost Nigeria’s chronically unreliable electricity supply, with planned capacities of 3,050MW and 700MW, respectively.

The Federal High Court in Abuja held that Mamman and his associates diverted at least 22 billion naira (about $16 million) from funds allocated to the projects. Mamman was absent from court during the ruling, prompting Judge James Omotosho to order national and international security agencies to arrest him and hand him over to the authorities. The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the former minister’s Abuja properties and foreign currencies recovered from him. The EFCC said the former minister went “underground” after he was sentenced.

READ MORE: Former Nigerian minister given 75-year sentence for fraud

Mamman served as minister of power between 2019 and 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari. His arrest follows a separate bench warrant issued by the court over another alleged 31 billion naira fraud case involving him and seven others, according to the West African nation’s anti-graft agency.

Read more

Beyond Hormuz: This oil giant is plagued by a curse

Mamman’s case adds to a series of high-profile corruption proceedings involving Nigerian officials. Former Humanitarian Affairs Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq has been declared wanted by the EFCC over allegations that she failed to account for 746.7 million naira, about $543,000, paid to contractors.

Former Accountant-General Ahmed Idris is also facing trial over an alleged 109 billion naira fraud, while former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke is on trial in London on bribery charges linked to her tenure from 2010 to 2015.

Latin America Rising > Argentina-U.S. South Atlantic pact; Bolivia fears coup

 

Argentina-U.S. South Atlantic pact sparks sovereignty debate

By Mar Puig    

In late April, Argentine President Javier Milei visited the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz during joint naval exercises between Argentine and U.S. forces in the South Atlantic Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy

May 20 (UPI) -- Argentina and the United States this week launched a new maritime cooperation alliance in the South Atlantic to combat drug trafficking and other maritime threats, but political, union and nationalist sectors warned about a possible loss of sovereignty.

The U.S. Southern Command and the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires announced the pact under the "Protecting Global Commons Program," an initiative aimed at strengthening maritime surveillance and security in Argentine waters over the next five years.

The cooperation will begin with the delivery of a specialized camera for maritime aerial patrol operations and will expand through "advanced equipment, elite training and support to intercept and neutralize maritime threats," the U.S. Embassy said.

Argentine Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Juan Carlos Romay and Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, who represents the Southern Command Naval Forces, signed the letter of intent.

U.S. officials described the agreement as part of a broader effort to strengthen regional security in the South Atlantic, a strategic zone for international trade and access to Antarctica.

Argentine President Javier Milei and U.S. President Donald Trump strengthened their cooperation in defense and security in recent months amid growing political alignment between both governments.

In late April, Milei visited the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz during joint naval exercises between Argentine and U.S. forces in the South Atlantic as part of the Passex operation.

At the time, U.S. Ambassador Peter Lamelas said the exercises demonstrated "concrete capabilities that strengthen South Atlantic maritime security like never before."

"With Argentina, we are building a stronger and safer Western Hemisphere," Lamelas said.

For Washington, the South Atlantic has gained increasing strategic relevance due to concerns linked to illegal fishing, particularly by foreign deep-water fleets, drug trafficking and the presence of actors such as China and Russia.

Argentina has one of the world's largest exclusive economic zones, with strategic maritime corridors near the Drake Passage and the Strait of Magellan -- key routes connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and providing access to Antarctica.

However, opposition sectors in Argentina argue that the agreement represents an increase in U.S. military influence in a region.

The criticism focused particularly on the use of the concept "global commons," a term some sectors consider inappropriate for referring to waters under Argentine jurisdiction.

Union organizations and nationalist leaders said the concept is usually used in reference to international waters or territories such as Antarctica, and not sovereign exclusive economic zones.

"Sovereignty and a large part of the nation's interests are at stake," Hugo "Cachorro" Godoy, secretary-general of the CTA Autónoma labor union, said during a parliamentary meeting on maritime sovereignty and port infrastructure, according to reports by Argentine newspaper La Nacion.

Godoy also argued there is a "geopolitical intention of domination over the territory and fragmentation of the homeland itself."

Evan Ellis told UPI the program appears focused on improving maritime surveillance capabilities and regional coordination rather than transferring sovereign control.

"This is fundamentally about improving maritime domain awareness in the South Atlantic and helping Argentina address challenges such as illegal fishing and transnational trafficking," Ellis said.

"The South Atlantic ... has enormous strategic importance, but I do not see this agreement as an erosion of Argentine sovereignty or as an initiative directed against another country," he said.

Ellis said hat cooperation through maritime patrol aircraft, intelligence sharing and joint training is common among allied countries that seek to monitor vast maritime areas with limited resources.

The debate also revived historical sensitivities surrounding the Falkland Islands, where the United Kingdom maintains a military base about 300 miles from the Argentine coast.

Nationalist sectors questioned why the agreement with Washington makes no reference to the territorial dispute with London or the British military presence in the South Atlantic.

Milei's government, however, frames the rapprochement with the United States as part of a strategic realignment toward the West and a deepening of bilateral cooperation in defense, security and trade.

Read More

• Argentina investment incentive plan tops $27B
• Argentine lawmakers warn of possible U.S.-backed action on Cuba
• Trade liberalization policies hit Argentina's auto parts industry

================================================================================================

Bolivia expresses fears for coup attempt amid unrest; U.S. concerned

By Banyeliz Muñoz and Macarena Hermosilla    

Members of unions that represent merchants, transport workers, local producers and neighborhood associations march Tuesday in Cochabamba, in central Bolivia, "in defense of democracy" and to demand an end to the roadblocks set up by farmers from the Altiplano who are calling for the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz. Photo by Jorge Abrego/EPA

May 20 (UPI) -- Bolivia is facing one of its most severe political and social crises in recent years as President Rodrigo Paz's government and U.S. officials warned of what they described as "a coup attempt underway" amid violent protests, prolonged road blockades and widespread shortages.

Authorities accuse allies of former President Evo Morales, along with armed groups and organized crime networks, of attempting to destabilize the democratically elected government.

In an interview Wednesday with Radio Mitre in Buenos Aires, Bolivia's foreign minister warned that the country faces an attempted coup by those seeking to remove Paz's government. Paz took office less than a year ago following a disputed transition process.

Foreign Minister Aramayo alleged the existence of armed factions and accused Morales of resisting judicial proceedings and encouraging political destabilization.

The demonstrations, concentrated mainly in La Paz, have led to clashes, attacks on public buildings, looting and highway blockades that disrupted supplies of fuel, food and medical oxygen.

"What is taking shape in Bolivia is clearly a coup attempt. There is no other name for it. Someone wants to overthrow a democratically elected government by force," Aramayo said.

On Tuesday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau reiterated White House support for the Bolivian government and argued the crisis extends beyond an internal political dispute.

"This is a coup attempt that is underway," Landau said, adding that political actors and criminal networks have formed an alliance to weaken Bolivia's democratic institutions.

Landau criticized violent mobilizations against an elected government and said the crisis reflects a broader regional problem involving weak institutions and the expansion of organized crime.

In an interview with UPI, former Hydrocarbons Minister Álvaro Ríos Roca linked the conflict to the political objectives of Morales, who remains in a coca-growing region outside the reach of authorities.

"That is why Morales has led these marches," Ríos Roca said, contending the former president seeks to preserve political influence and avoid judicial proceedings.

Ríos Roca also said organizations historically tied to the ruling Movement Toward Socialism party, known as MAS, had been mobilized with expectations of regaining lost state benefits.

"They used to receive money, vehicles and housing. Those privileges were cut off," he said.

He added that fear and uncertainty surrounding Morales' political and legal future continue to fuel tensions, particularly over potential actions involving foreign intelligence agencies, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Bolivian political analyst Franklin Pareja agreed that the protests are backed by organized structures with illicit interests. He described the unrest not as a genuine social conflict, but as a "seditious, anti-democratic and terrorist process" driven by criminal organizations that see their activities under threat.

"All they want is to break the constitutional order," Pareja said on RTP Bolivia.

Public frustration has also been fueled by economic problems and government management failures.

Former Argentine undersecretary for International Strategic Affairs Martín Schapiro distanced himself from the idea of a coup, although he acknowledged strong organization behind the protests.

"I do not like the idea of calling it a possible coup," Schapiro told UPI. "There are many social movements mobilized demanding the president's resignation, the most emblematic being the COB," referring to Bolivia's main labor federation, the Central Obrera Boliviana.

"So there is clearly organization and an explicit objective," he added.

Schapiro said Bolivia's situation is also tied to social conflicts accumulated during years of governance by the MAS movement.

"This is connected to a structural problem linked to the hydrocarbon-based economic model, with declining resources that Rodrigo Paz is managing through aggressive austerity measures. That has triggered a reaction from social movements," he said.

He added that Bolivia has long experienced intense political and social confrontation, particularly involving sectors opposed to conservative political forces and disconnected from grassroots movements.

Ríos Roca noted the government partially reduced fuel subsidies and recently distributed substandard gasoline, known locally as "junk gasoline," which he said damaged between 30,000 and 100,000 vehicles.

Although he said the technical problem has been resolved, the former minister argued the issue continues to be used as a political weapon.

In La Paz, the blockades have created a critical situation.

"Even the protesters cannot eat," Ríos Roca said, adding that the government is relying on exhaustion to force demonstrators off the streets.

Eduardo Olivo, president of Bolivia's Chamber of Commerce, warned that more than 4 million people in La Paz and El Alto have suffered shortages and economic paralysis during three weeks of unrest.

Olivo said the protests no longer reflect legitimate social demands, but rather "a deliberate intention to destabilize the country."

He said fuel supplies have been normalized and compensation is being provided for damage caused by contaminated gasoline. He attributed the continuation of protests to political interests and the end of what he called the "fuel smuggling business."

Not all analysts agree with the coup narrative.

"The president became too elitist," political scientist Marcelo Silva said, arguing that Paz distanced himself from the working-class sectors that helped bring him to power and that many supporters now feel betrayed.

Still, Silva rejected the idea that Paz's resignation would solve the crisis.

"There is no political leadership in the country, there is no alternative project. That remedy would be worse than the disease," he said.

Experts agree the conflict could continue for weeks. While Pareja warned that even a change in government would not resolve Bolivia's economic crisis or fuel shortages, Ríos Roca said the ultimate goal of the protests is to force Paz's resignation so the vice president can take office -- a scenario he contended also would fail to solve the country's structural problems.

Read More

• Chile calls regional summit to fight organized crime
• Bolivia rejects state of emergency amid protest violence
• Bolivia protests escalate as U.S. backs Paz government