- US and Nigerian forces jointly eliminated ISIS second-in-command.
- Operation described as complex, meticulously planned mission in Nigeria.
- Al-Minuki’s death significantly diminishes ISIS global operations.
- Partnership highlights strong US-Nigeria counterterrorism coordination.
US President Donald Trump on Friday announced that American and Nigerian forces had jointly killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as the second-in-command of the Islamic State terror group globally.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the operation was carried out in Nigeria following what he called a “meticulously planned and very complex mission” involving US forces and the Nigerian armed forces.
The US president claimed Al-Minuki had been among the world’s most active terrorists and said his killing marked a significant blow to ISIS’s international operations.
Trump Says ISIS Leader Was Hiding in Africa
“Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
According to Trump, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki believed he could evade capture by hiding in Africa, but US intelligence sources had been closely monitoring his activities.
“Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing,” he added.
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Trump Says ISIS Operations ‘Greatly Diminished’
Trump described the operation as a major victory against global terrorism and said Al-Minuki would “no longer terrorise the people of Africa” or assist in planning attacks targeting Americans.
“He will no longer terrorise the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans. With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished,” Trump stated.
The US president also thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation during the operation, describing the mission as an example of strong counterterrorism coordination between the two countries.
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Nigeria’s Role Highlighted in Joint Mission
Trump praised the partnership between the United States and Nigeria, specifically acknowledging the role played by the Nigerian armed forces in carrying out the operation.
“Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation. GOD BLESS AMERICA!” he wrote.
