United States President Donald J. Trump has announced the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of ISIS globally, in a joint operation by American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Trump said the operation was carried out at his direction after careful planning and intelligence tracking. He described the mission as “meticulously planned” and “very complex,” saying it removed one of the most active terrorist figures from the battlefield.
According to Trump, al-Minuki had been hiding in Africa and was being monitored through intelligence sources before the operation was executed.
“Abu-Bilal al-Minuki thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing,” Trump said.
The US President said the operation has weakened ISIS’s global network and reduced the group’s ability to terrorise communities in Africa or plan attacks against Americans.
“With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished,” he added.
Trump also thanked the Government of Nigeria for its partnership in the operation, highlighting security cooperation between Washington and Abuja in the fight against terrorism.
The operation marks a major counterterrorism development involving Nigeria and the United States, as both countries continue efforts to contain terrorist networks operating across parts of Africa.
Nigeria has faced years of attacks from extremist groups, particularly in the North-East and the wider Lake Chad Basin, where Boko Haram and Islamic State-linked factions have remained active.
The killing of al-Minuki is expected to strengthen ongoing counterterrorism efforts and deepen security collaboration between Nigeria and the United States.
