U.S., Nigerian Forces Kill ISIS’s Number 2 leader

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that American and Nigerian forces carried out a joint military operation that resulted in the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as the second-in-command of the Islamic State group globally.

In a statement posted on Truth Social late Friday, Trump said the operation was conducted “at my direction” and involved close coordination between United States forces and the Nigerian Armed Forces.

“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.

The U.S. President identified the target as Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, describing him as “second in command of ISIS globally” and accusing him of using Africa as a base for extremist activities and international terror coordination.

“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 stated.

According to the statement, the operation was the result of extensive intelligence gathering and military planning involving both countries. Trump did not disclose the exact location of the operation, the timeline of the mission, or whether additional militants were killed or captured during the raid.

The President, however, said the elimination of al-Minuki would significantly weaken the operational capacity of the extremist group.

“He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans,” Trump said, adding that “with his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished.”

Trump also praised the Nigerian government for its collaboration in the mission, highlighting growing security cooperation between Washington and Abuja in counterterrorism efforts across Africa.

“Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation,” he wrote.

The announcement is expected to draw international attention given ongoing concerns about the spread of extremist groups across parts of Africa, particularly in the Sahel region and around the Lake Chad Basin, where insurgent factions linked to ISIS and other militant organizations have remained active for years.

Neither the United States Department of Defense nor the Nigerian Armed Forces had, as of press time, released additional operational details or casualty figures related to the mission.

Security analysts say the reported killing of a high-ranking ISIS figure could represent a major symbolic and strategic victory for counterterrorism operations in Africa, though experts also caution that extremist networks often reorganize quickly after leadership losses.

Trump concluded his statement with a patriotic message, writing: “GOD BLESS AMERICA!”