US President Donald Trump announced Friday that American and Nigerian forces had killed a senior leader of the so-called Islamic State group during a joint military operation in Nigeria.
According to Trump, the target was Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as one of the most active ISIS leaders in the world and the organization’s second-highest-ranking figure globally.
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump said the mission was “carefully planned and highly complex,” praising both US troops and the Nigerian armed forces for carrying it out successfully. He claimed the operation would significantly weaken ISIS’s operational capabilities worldwide and prevent future attacks against Africans and Americans.
Nigerian authorities had not immediately issued official comments confirming the operation at the time of the announcement.
Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, also known as Abu Bakr al-Mainuki, had been sanctioned by the United States in 2023 over alleged links to ISIS. US officials previously identified him as being from Borno State in northeastern Nigeria, a region heavily affected by jihadist violence for more than a decade.
Nigeria has faced an ongoing insurgency since 2009, primarily involving extremist groups operating in the northeast. Armed criminal gangs and militant factions have also expanded across parts of the northwest and central regions, contributing to mass kidnappings and deadly attacks.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that Christians in Nigeria are being persecuted and targeted in what he has described as “genocide” by terrorists. However, the Nigerian government and many security experts reject that characterization, arguing that both Christians and Muslims have suffered heavily from the violence.
The operation marks the second reported US military intervention in Nigeria within five months. Earlier strikes were reportedly conducted in Sokoto State during the Christmas period against ISIS-linked militants.
The United States Africa Command, commonly known as AFRICOM, has expanded intelligence-sharing, military training, and weapons support for Nigeria in recent months. US officials have indicated that Washington has adopted a more aggressive counterterrorism strategy targeting ISIS affiliates across West Africa.
Extremist groups linked to ISIS also remain active in neighboring Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, where they continue to wage insurgencies against regional governments.
