U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of ISIS, has been eliminated in a joint operation involving U.S. and Nigerian forces.
The announcement was made on Friday through Trump’s post on Truth Social, where he described the mission as “flawlessly executed” and highly coordinated.
According to Trump, the operation was carried out by American forces alongside the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
He said the mission was carefully planned and targeted one of the most active terrorist figures operating in Africa.
Trump claimed that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki believed he could hide in Africa but was tracked through intelligence sources monitoring his activities.
He also thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation in the operation.
Background of US-Nigeria security cooperation
The announcement comes amid ongoing security cooperation between the United States and Nigeria in counterterrorism operations across West Africa.
Nigeria has faced long-running militant activity from extremist groups, including ISIS-linked factions operating in the region.
Earlier, Nigeria had been criticized by Trump over claims of religious persecution, allegations that the Nigerian government has denied.
Despite tensions in rhetoric, both countries have continued limited security cooperation against militant groups.
The United States previously conducted strikes against Islamist militant targets in northwestern Nigeria on Christmas Day last year, following concerns about extremist activity in the region.
