Trump says Top ISIS Leader Abu Bilal Killed in Nigeria Operation

US President Donald Trump announced that American and Nigerian forces had killed senior Islamic State leader Abu Bilal al-Minuki during a joint counter-terror operation in Africa.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump said the operation was carried out by US forces and the Nigerian Armed Forces following a “meticulously planned and very complex mission”.

“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 said.

According to Trump, the operation significantly weakened the global operations of the Islamic State group. He added that al-Minuki would “no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans.”

Al-Minuki had been placed under US sanctions in 2023 for his links to the Islamic State group and was described by the US State Department as a senior Sahel-based ISIS leader involved in global operational planning and funding activities.

Trump also thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation in the mission.

Nigeria has been battling Islamist militant groups, including regional ISIS affiliates and Boko Haram, for several years. The country has also faced attacks from armed criminal gangs known locally as bandits.

The US has expanded military cooperation with Nigeria in recent months, including troop deployments for training and support operations. However, Trump did not provide details about the exact location of the strike or whether airstrikes were used in the operation.