President Donald Trump announced late Friday on Truth Social that U.S. and Nigerian forces carried out a joint operation that killed a top ISIS commander, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he called the group’s “second in command globally.”
Trump said the mission was done at his direction and was a “meticulously planned and very complex mission.” He credited “brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria” with removing what he described as “the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield.”
Trump said al-Minuki had been hiding in Africa while coordinating Islamic State-linked attacks. “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,” Trump added, saying the operation had weakened the terrorist group. “With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished,” he said, and thanked Nigeria: “Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
This is the latest military action Mr. Trump has ordered against suspected ISIS militants in Nigeria and West Africa. In December he said he had authorised a “powerful and deadly strike against ISIS” in northwestern Nigeria, accusing the group of targeting and killing innocent Christians.
