US and Nigerian forces carry out a joint operation against the commander, who was deemed a ‘global terrorist’ in 2023.
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Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, alleged to be the second-in-command of ISIL (ISIS) globally, has been killed in an operation conducted by United States and Nigerian forces, the US and Nigerian presidents said.
“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,” US President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Friday.
Al-Minuki “thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing,” Trump said.
Trump also thanked the Nigerian government for its partnership, but did not provide further details.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu confirmed the operation in a separate statement Saturday, saying that the two countries had “recorded a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism”.
Early assessments indicate that al-Minuki, along with “several of his lieutenants”, were killed during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin, Tinubu said.
“Nigeria appreciates this partnership with the United States in advancing our shared security objectives,” the Nigerian president added. “I extend my sincere gratitude to President Trump for his leadership and unwavering support in this effort.”
Al-Minuki had been under US sanctions since 2023 for his links to ISIL.
When announcing al-Minuki’s designation on the list of “global terrorists”, the US State Department described him as a Sahel-based ISIL senior leader and part of its General Directorate of Provinces, the group’s administrative body that provides “operational guidance and funding around the world”.
Trump claimed ISIL’s global operation was “greatly diminished” after his killing.
For months, Trump has accused Nigeria of not doing enough to stop armed groups from targeting Christians in the country’s northwest.
Nigeria has denied the charge and said that fighters target both Muslim and Christian communities in the country.
On Christmas Day last year, US forces carried out an air strike in Sokoto State that targeted ISIL fighters operating in the region.
The US has since deployed hundreds of troops to Nigeria to provide technical support and intelligence sharing in the fight against armed groups.
The US forces are playing a strictly noncombat role, Nigeria has said.
In his statement Saturday, Tinubu expressed enthusiasm about possible future operations.
“I look forward to more decisive strikes against all terrorist enclaves across the nation,” the president said.
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