Donald Trump has announced that American forces, working alongside the Nigerian Armed Forces, carried out a joint military operation that led to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as the second-in-command of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria globally.
Trump disclosed this in a statement shared on his Truth Social account on Saturday, describing the mission as the result of extensive intelligence gathering and strategic coordination aimed at tracking the activities of the terrorist leader in Africa.
According to the US president, the operation targeted one of the most active ISIS figures allegedly responsible for coordinating attacks and supporting terrorist operations against Americans and communities across Africa.
“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.
He added that al-Minuki had attempted to evade capture by hiding in Africa but was eventually tracked through intelligence sources.
“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.
“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.”
Trump further said the elimination of the ISIS commander would significantly weaken the group’s global network and reduce its operational influence on the African continent.
The US president also commended the Nigerian government and the country’s military leadership for their collaboration during the mission.
“Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation,” he added.
The Nigerian government and military authorities are yet to release an official statement providing details of the operation or confirming the circumstances surrounding the reported killing of the ISIS leader.