U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he named as ISIS's second in command worldwide, was eliminated during an operation carried out by U.S. and Nigerian forces. The president made the announcement in a post on Truth Social describing the operation as planned and complex.
In his post, Trump wrote: "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. 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 also expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government for its partnership in the operation.
The president's statement follows a period of public scrutiny between the two governments. Nigeria has been the subject of comments from the president alleging that Christians there were being persecuted; Nigerian authorities have denied those claims. Separately, the United States carried out strikes that it said targeted Islamist bases in northwestern Nigeria on Christmas Day last year, an action the president linked to his earlier accusations.
The account provided by the president ties together the recent operation and prior U.S. military activity in the region, as well as the diplomatic friction arising from his comments about religious persecution. The Nigerian government was publicly thanked in the post for its role in the mission, while Nigeria's denial of the persecution allegations remains on the record.
Context and immediate facts
- President Trump announced the elimination of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki on Truth Social.
- The operation was described as a joint effort between U.S. forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
- Earlier tensions include U.S. accusations of persecution of Christians in Nigeria, which the Nigerian government denies, and U.S. strikes on Islamist bases in northwestern Nigeria on Christmas Day last year.
The information in this report is limited to the details provided in the presidential announcement and the public record referenced in the statement. Where official accounts offer further detail, those would clarify operational specifics and any subsequent developments.