U.S. President Donald Trump said American and Nigerian forces killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as ISIS’s second-in-command globally, during a joint military operation in Africa.
In a post on Truth Social late Friday, Trump said the operation was carried out at his direction and praised cooperation between U.S. troops and the Nigerian military.
“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.
Trump said intelligence sources had tracked al-Minuki’s movements, adding that the ISIS leader “thought he could hide in Africa.”
The U.S. president did not disclose where the operation took place.
Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a Nigerian national, was designated a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” by the Biden administration in 2023, according to the U.S. Federal Register.
Trump also thanked Nigerian authorities for assisting in the operation, despite previously criticizing the country over security failures and attacks by Islamist militants in parts of northern Nigeria.
Nigeria has repeatedly denied accusations of religious bias, saying its military operations target armed groups responsible for attacks on both Muslim and Christian communities.
Washington has expanded its military support role in Nigeria in recent months amid growing concerns over ISIS-linked and Al-Qaeda-affiliated insurgencies across West Africa.
The United States carried out strikes against Islamist militants in Nigeria in December and later increased its regional presence with drones and roughly 200 troops focused on intelligence sharing and military training support.
Nigerian officials previously said U.S. personnel stationed in the country were operating strictly in non-combat roles.
The announcement comes as regional governments across West Africa continue to battle a worsening insurgency that has spread beyond the Sahel into coastal states and major urban centres.
