United States President Donald Trump has announced that American and Nigerian forces carried out a joint operation that killed a senior leader of the Islamic State group.
In a statement posted on Truth Social on Friday, Trump said the mission targeted Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as the second-in-command of ISIS globally.
“Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission,” Trump said.
According to him, al-Minuki had been hiding in Africa while allegedly coordinating terrorist activities linked to the extremist group.
“He thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing,” Trump added.
The militant leader had earlier been sanctioned by the United States in 2023 over alleged ties to the Islamic State network.
Trump said the operation would significantly weaken ISIS operations, adding that al-Minuki would “no longer terrorise the people of Africa or help plan attacks against Americans.”
The U.S. president also praised the Nigerian government and security forces for working alongside American troops during the operation.
The Nigerian government has yet to officially release details about the mission or where the operation was carried out.
