United States President Donald Trump has announced that a joint military operation involving U.S. forces and the Nigerian Armed Forces successfully eliminated a senior ISIS commander during a mission carried out on Friday.
In a statement shared on Truth Social, Trump said the coordinated operation targeted and killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as the second-in-command of ISIS globally and one of the world’s most active terrorists.
According to Trump, the operation was executed at his direction and involved what he described as a highly complex and carefully planned mission carried out by American and Nigerian military personnel. He claimed the strike had significantly weakened the terrorist organization’s operational strength.
Trump stated that the mission removed a key figure responsible for terror activities across Africa and alleged international operations targeting American interests.
According to the U.S. president, al-Minuki had attempted to evade capture by hiding in Africa, but intelligence sources reportedly tracked his activities and location. While Trump confirmed the operation’s success, he did not disclose the exact location where the strike took place.
Abu-Bilal al-Minuki has long been identified as a major figure linked to ISIS operations in West Africa. Documents from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control reportedly show that the militant leader was born in 1982 in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria.
Borno remains one of the regions most affected by insurgency activities linked to groups such as ISWAP and Boko Haram. The state shares borders with Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, making it strategically important in regional counterterrorism efforts.
Al-Minuki had reportedly remained a high-priority target for Nigerian security forces for several years. In 2024, he was previously reported among suspected ISWAP and Boko Haram commanders believed to have been killed during military operations in the Birnin Gwari forest area of Kaduna State.
However, the latest announcement from Trump suggests he survived those earlier operations and remained active until the recent mission. The development highlights ongoing military cooperation between the United States and Nigeria in combating terrorism and insurgent threats across West Africa.
Nigeria has faced prolonged security challenges from extremist groups operating mainly in the northeast and northwestern parts of the country.
Joint intelligence sharing, surveillance operations, and military coordination with international allies have become increasingly important in counterterrorism operations.
Trump’s announcement is expected to attract global attention, particularly given the significance of the militant figure reportedly eliminated.
Although official Nigerian military authorities are yet to release a detailed statement on the operation, the reported killing is being seen as a major development in the broader fight against terrorism in the region.
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