U.S., Nigerian Forces Eliminate ISIS Second-in-Command in Joint Operation

U.S., Nigerian Forces Eliminate ISIS Second-in-Command in Joint Operation

By: Zagazola Makama

The United States has announced the elimination of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of the global Islamic State terrorist network, during a joint counterterrorism operation conducted with Nigerian security forces.

In a statement issued on Friday, Donald Trump said American forces, working alongside the Nigerian Armed Forces, carried out what he described as a “meticulously planned and very complex mission” targeting the terrorist leader.

According to Trump, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki had been operating from Africa and was considered one of the most active terrorist figures globally.

“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 said.

He stated that the operation was enabled through intelligence sources that tracked the activities and movements of the ISIS commander.

Trump added that the removal of al-Minuki would significantly weaken the global operations of the terrorist group and reduce its capability to coordinate attacks, including plots targeting American interests.

He also thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation and partnership in the operation.

“With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished. Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation,” he said.

Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities immediately disclosed the exact location or operational details surrounding the mission.

The development marks one of the most significant counterterrorism operations involving U.S. and Nigerian forces in recent years against transnational terrorist elements linked to the Islamic State network.

U.S., Nigerian Forces Eliminate ISIS Second-in-Command in Joint Operation