Trump: US, Nigerian Forces Kill Top ISIS Leader
US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that American and Nigerian forces had successfully eliminated a senior Islamic State group leader described as the most active terrorist in the world, in what he called a flawlessly executed joint military operation.
“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 on Truth Social.
The target identified was Abu Bilal al Minuki, described by Trump as the second in command of ISIS globally.
“Abu Bilal al Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing,” Trump stated.
Al Minuki had previously been placed under US sanctions in 2023 over documented ties to the Islamic State group.
Trump declared that the terrorist’s elimination had significantly weakened the organisation’s global operations. “He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans. With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished,” he said.
The US president also extended gratitude to Abuja for its role in the mission, thanking the government of Nigeria for their “partnership” on the operation.
The announcement marks a significant moment in US Nigeria counter terrorism cooperation and signals a broader American military focus on Islamic State activity spreading across the African continent. Nigeria has in recent years faced mounting threats from jihadist groups, including ISIS West Africa Province, across its northeast and northwest regions.
The operation’s success also underscores the growing intelligence sharing framework between Washington and African partner nations in tracking and neutralising high value terrorist targets operating outside traditional conflict zones.
Further details on the operational specifics, location, and timeline of the mission had not been officially released beyond Trump’s statement at the time of this report.