President Donald Trump said US and Nigerian forces killed an ISIS leader hiding in Africa, saying the strike “greatly diminished” the group’s global operations.
Trump identified Abu-Bilal al-Minuki as ISIS’s second-in-command worldwide and called him the “most active terrorist in the world,” according to a post on Truth Social. He said al-Minuki would “no longer terrorize the people of Africa” or help plan attacks against Americans.
Security Cooperation
Trump thanked the Nigerian government for partnering on the operation, underscoring the continuing security ties between Washington and Abuja.
The announcement comes after the US carried out a strike in Nigeria in December against Islamic State targets in what both governments described as a security and intelligence collaboration.
Wider Implications
The claim, if confirmed, would mark another setback for ISIS’s footprint in Africa, where the group and its affiliates have remained active in parts of the Sahel and Lake Chad basin.
It also reinforces Nigeria’s role as a key counterterrorism partner for the US at a time when security cooperation across Africa remains central to Washington’s regional strategy.
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