US President Donald Trump announced that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the global second-in-command of ISIS, has been killed in a joint military operation carried out by American and Nigerian forces in Africa.
According to Trump, the operation was “meticulously planned” and executed after intelligence agencies tracked al-Minuki’s movements while he was allegedly hiding in Africa. Trump claimed the ISIS leader believed he could avoid detection but was successfully located through intelligence sources working with US and Nigerian forces.
Trump described Abu-Bilal al-Minuki as “the most active terrorist in the world” and said his elimination represents a major blow to the Islamic State’s global leadership network. He also thanked Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian military for cooperating in the mission.
Reuters reported that al-Minuki had earlier been designated as a global terrorist by the Biden administration in 2023 because of his alleged role in coordinating ISIS operations in Africa and beyond.
Although Trump did not reveal the exact location of the operation, reports suggest the mission took place somewhere in West Africa where ISIS-linked groups have significantly expanded their activities in recent years. Nigeria and neighbouring countries have faced growing violence from extremist organisations including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The operation also highlights increasing US military involvement in counterterrorism efforts across Africa. In recent months, the United States reportedly expanded intelligence cooperation, drone surveillance, and military training support for Nigerian security forces to combat ISIS-linked insurgencies.
Trump claimed the death of al-Minuki has “greatly diminished” ISIS globally and stated that the terror organisation would no longer be able to use the commander to coordinate attacks and recruitment activities.
So far, ISIS has not officially confirmed the death of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki. Meanwhile, neither the Pentagon nor US Africa Command has released detailed operational information regarding the mission.
Security analysts say the killing could temporarily disrupt ISIS operations in Africa, though extremist groups in the region continue to remain active despite repeated international military campaigns.
