Merve Aydogan
16 May 2026•Update: 16 May 2026
President Donald Trump announced late Friday that US and Nigerian strikes allegedly killed the second-highest leader of ISIS globally, in a joint military operation.
"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 on his Truth Social platform.
Trump said Abu-Bilal al-Minuki "thought he could hide in Africa," but claimed that American intelligence sources had tracked his movements.
"He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans," he said. "With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished."
He also thanked the Nigerian government for its partnership in the operation.
Nigeria has long struggled with attacks by armed groups, including the Boko Haram extremist group, and the ISIS (Daesh) affiliated ISWAP, in various parts of the country.
The government has taken steps to address the threat, including deploying troops and working with international partners.
In February, the US deployed about 100 military personnel to northern Nigeria to provide training, intelligence sharing and technical support to local forces as attacks by armed groups surged.
