LONDON — President Donald J. Trump announced late on Friday that United States and Nigerian forces have successfully eliminated one of ISIS’s most senior leaders in a “flawlessly executed” cross-border operation in Africa.
In a statement posted on Truth Social, President Trump said Abu-Bilal al-Minuki — described as the second-in-command of ISIS globally and one of the group’s most active operational figures — was killed in the meticulously planned mission.
“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 said .
The US President added that al-Minuki, who had sought refuge in Africa, “thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing” .
“He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans,” Trump said, crediting intelligence sources for tracking the target and thanking the Nigerian government for its partnership in the operation .
Al-Minuki, also known by several aliases including Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali al-Mainuki, was a Nigerian national who had risen to become a key leader in ISIS’s global network . He was heavily involved in coordinating operations, financing, and planning attacks, particularly through ISIS affiliates in West Africa such as ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) .
US authorities had previously sanctioned him in 2023 under Executive Order 13224, designating him a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for his role in the terrorist organisation .
According to a report by the Counter Extremism Project, al-Minuki primarily operated in the Sahel region of Africa, spanning nearly 12 countries, and served as a senior commander of ISWAP, overseeing operations connected to the Lake Chad division under ISIS’s General Directorate of Provinces .
His removal is being viewed as a major disruption to ISIS’s ability to coordinate attacks across Africa and potentially beyond .
President Trump concluded his statement by saying: “With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished. Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation. GOD BLESS AMERICA!” .
The operation highlights growing military and intelligence cooperation between the United States and Nigeria in the fight against Islamist extremism in the Lake Chad region and surrounding areas, where ISIS-linked groups have been active for years .
In February, the US deployed about 100 military personnel to northern Nigeria to provide training, intelligence sharing, and technical support to local forces as attacks by armed groups surged . The US has also carried out airstrikes in Nigeria previously, including on Christmas Day last year in Sokoto State targeting ISIS-linked groups .
No further operational details have been released at this time. The Nigerian military has not yet commented on the raid, and the BBC has contacted both US and Nigerian authorities for comment .
If confirmed independently, al-Minuki’s killing could mark a significant setback for the Islamic State group since the killing of its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2019 .
