Nigerian soldiers at a military base in Borno state last year. Donald Trump says US and Nigerian forces have killed Islamic State deputy leader Abu-Bilal al-Minuki. Photograph: Joris Bolomey/AFP/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenNigerian soldiers at a military base in Borno state last year. Donald Trump says US and Nigerian forces have killed Islamic State deputy leader Abu-Bilal al-Minuki. Photograph: Joris Bolomey/AFP/Getty ImagesTrump says Islamic State ‘second in command’ killed by US and Nigerian forcesUS president calls Abu-Bilal al-Minuki ‘most active terrorist in the world’ and says he was eliminated in ‘very complex mission’
Donald Trump has said US and Nigerian forces killed the “second in command” global leader of the Islamic State.
“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,” the US president said on his Truth Social platform Friday.
“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 added.
Al-Minuki had been placed under US sanctions in 2023 for ties to the Islamic State group.
“He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans,” Trump said. “With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished.”
Trump thanked the government of Nigeria for their “partnership” on the operation.
