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United States President Donald Trump announced that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the global second-in-command of ISIS, was killed during a joint military operation conducted by American and Nigerian forces.
Sharing the news on Truth Social, Trump praised the military personnel for flawlessly executing a highly complex, meticulously planned mission to eliminate the high-profile operative.
While the exact location of the targeted raid was not disclosed, Trump noted that intelligence sources successfully tracked al-Minuki’s movements despite his attempts to hide within the African continent.
Al-Minuki, a Nigerian national, had long been on the radar of international counter-terrorism agencies and was officially classified as a “specially designated global terrorist” by the US government in 2023.
The successful joint operation marks a notable moment of diplomatic and military alignment, with Trump expressing direct gratitude to the Nigerian government for its partnership.
This collaboration follows previous friction, during which the US leader had criticised Nigeria’s handling of terrorist militant violence against religious communities in its northwestern region.
Nigeria’s government has consistently maintained that its defence forces do not discriminate based on religion, asserting that its military operations impartially target armed factions responsible for attacks on both Christian and Muslim citizens.
The joint mission underscores Washington’s deepening security footprint in West Africa, where it recently deployed advanced drones and 200 military personnel to deliver critical training and intelligence assets.
Nigerian defence officials previously clarified that while American troops provide vital strategic support to combat spreading insurgencies, they operate strictly in a non-combat capacity.
