Amanze Chinonye
United States President Donald Trump has announced that American forces, in collaboration with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, carried out a joint counterterrorism operation that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a senior Islamic State commander described by Washington as the group’s global Second-in-command, Prime Business Africa reports.
Trump disclosed the development in a statement posted Friday night on his Truth Social account, describing the operation as a “meticulously planned and very complex mission.”
“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 stated.
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The U.S. president said al-Minuki had been hiding in Africa but was tracked through intelligence sources monitoring his activities.
“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 wrote.
“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,” he added.
According to international media reports, al-Minuki had previously been designated by the United States government as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” over his alleged involvement in coordinating ISIS-linked operations across Africa and the Sahel region.
Reports also identified him as a key figure within ISIS’s General Directorate of Provinces, the structure responsible for coordinating the extremist group’s international operations, financing and strategic direction outside the Middle East.
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Although Trump did not disclose the exact location of the operation, reports indicated that al-Minuki was believed to have operated within ISIS-linked extremist networks in West Africa.
The development comes amid expanding security cooperation between the United States and Nigeria in counterterrorism operations targeting insurgent groups operating across the Lake Chad Basin and the wider Sahel region.
Recent reports indicate that the United States has increased intelligence-sharing, surveillance support and military training assistance to Nigeria as part of broader efforts to combat extremist organisations affiliated with ISIS and other terror groups in West Africa.
Trump also thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation in the operation.
“Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation. GOD BLESS AMERICA!” he stated.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Pentagon nor Nigerian military authorities had released detailed operational information, casualty figures, or an independent official confirmation of al-Minuki’s death.
Security analysts, however, described the operation as potentially one of the most significant joint counterterrorism missions involving Nigerian and American forces in recent years, given the strategic importance of the slain ISIS commander within the group’s global structure.
Amanze Chinonye is a Staff Correspondent at Prime Business Africa, a rising star in the literary world, weaving captivating stories that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Nigeria and the rest of Africa. With a unique voice that blends with the newspaper's tradition and style, Chinonye's writing is a masterful exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Through her words, Chinonye paints vivid portraits of everyday African life, from the bustling markets of Nigeria's Lagos to the quiet villages of South Africa's countryside . With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of Nigerian society, Chinonye's writing is both a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and a powerful call to action for a brighter future. As a writer, Chinonye is a true storyteller, using her dexterity to educate, inspire, and uplift readers around the world.
