America and Nigeria eliminate senior ISIS commander, weakening jihadist operations and protecting civilians from terror.
US President Donald Trump announced Friday that American forces, working with Nigeria’s military, killed senior Islamic State leader Abu-Bilal al-Minuki in a major counterterrorism operation in Africa.
Trump said the mission was carried out at his direction and described it as a complex, carefully planned operation executed by US and Nigerian forces. He said al-Minuki, identified as second in command of ISIS globally, believed he could hide in Africa, but intelligence sources tracked his movements and enabled forces to strike.
Al-Minuki had been sanctioned by the United States in 2023 over his links to the Islamic State network, which continues to operate across parts of West Africa and the Sahel. US officials had described him as a senior ISIS figure involved in the group’s global administrative and operational structure.
Trump said the terrorist leader would no longer be able to threaten African civilians or help plan attacks against Americans. He added that al-Minuki’s death significantly weakens ISIS’s global operations.
The President thanked Nigeria’s government for its partnership in the mission. Nigerian security forces continue to battle multiple extremist threats, including Islamic State regional branches, Boko Haram, and violent armed gangs known as bandits.
The operation comes after growing US pressure on Nigeria to take stronger action against Islamist militancy. Washington has increased support for Nigerian forces, including training, coordination, and previous joint strikes against ISIS-linked fighters.
Trump did not disclose whether the strike was carried out by air or ground forces, nor did he reveal the exact location where al-Minuki was killed. The announcement, however, signals a major counterterrorism victory for the United States and Nigeria against ISIS expansion in Africa.
