US and Nigerian forces kill ISIS deputy leader Abu‑Bilal al‑Minuki

United States President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces, working with the Nigerian Armed Forces, carried out a joint operation that killed Abu‑Bilal al‑Minuki, the second‑in‑command of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) worldwide.

In a statement posted on his Truth Social account on Saturday, Trump said the operation was the result of extensive intelligence gathering and strategic coordination aimed at tracking the terrorist leader’s activities in Africa.

According to the president, the mission targeted one of ISIS’s most active figures, whom he accused of orchestrating attacks and supporting terrorist operations against Americans and communities across the continent.

Trump said that eliminating al‑Minuki would deal a major blow to ISIS operations globally and weaken the group’s presence in Africa.

He also praised the Nigerian government and its military authorities for their cooperation and support during the operation.

“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 wrote.

He added, “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. He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans. With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished. Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation.”