United States President Donald Trump has announced that a senior commander of the Islamic State group, identified as Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, was killed during a joint military operation involving American and Nigerian forces.
Trump, in a statement released Friday, described al-Minuki as “the most active terrorist in the world” and claimed the operation dealt a major blow to the global activities of ISIS.
According to international reports, the slain militant was regarded as the second-in-command of the Islamic State globally and had reportedly coordinated extremist operations across parts of Africa. Reuters reported that the operation was carried out after intelligence agencies tracked his movements over time.
The Associated Press identified the militant as Abu Bakr al-Mainuki, a Nigerian-born extremist from Borno State who rose through the ranks of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) following the death of senior commander Mamman Nur in 2018. He had earlier been sanctioned by the United States government in 2023 over terrorism-related activities.
Trump praised the collaboration between Nigerian and American security forces, describing the mission as “very complex” and “meticulously executed.” However, neither the White House nor Nigerian authorities immediately released detailed operational information, including the exact location or timing of the strike.
The announcement comes amid growing military cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in combating insurgent groups operating in West Africa. In recent months, the US has expanded intelligence and military support to Nigeria, including airstrikes against ISIS-linked targets and the deployment of troops in advisory and training capacities.
Nigeria has continued to battle extremist violence for over a decade, particularly from groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province. Northern states including Borno, Yobe, Sokoto and parts of the North Central region have witnessed repeated attacks linked to insurgent factions.
Security analysts believe the elimination of a top ISIS commander could disrupt the operational network of extremist groups across the Sahel and Lake Chad regions, although concerns remain over the resilience and decentralised structure of terror cells operating within the region.
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