United States President Donald Trump and President Bola TinubuTinubu of Nigeria have announced and hailed the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of the Islamic State group globally, following a joint military operation involving American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
In a statement released late Friday night through his official social media account, Trump said the operation was carried out under his direct order and involved what he described as a “meticulously planned and very complex mission.”
According to the U.S. president, the operation successfully eliminated one of the world’s most active terrorist figures, whom he accused of coordinating attacks across Africa and supporting plots targeting Americans.
“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.
He identified the target as Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as the second-in-command of ISIS globally.
Trump further claimed the terrorist leader believed he could evade capture by hiding in Africa but said intelligence sources closely monitored his movements before the operation was launched.
“Abu-Bilal al-Minuki thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing,” Trump added.
The American leader said the killing of the ISIS commander would significantly weaken the terrorist group’s global network and operational capacity.
“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 declared.
Trump also praised the Nigerian government and military authorities for their cooperation and partnership during the mission, describing the joint effort as a major success in the international fight against terrorism.
“Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation,” he said before concluding the statement with: “GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
The announcement has already sparked widespread reactions internationally, especially across Africa and the global security community, with analysts describing the reported elimination of the ISIS figure as a potentially significant blow against extremist operations on the continent.
