US-Nigeria Joint Operation Kills Top ISIS Leader Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, Says Trump

Washington, May 2026 : US President Donald Trump on Friday announced that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of ISIS globally, has been killed in a joint military operation conducted by American and Nigerian forces.

In a statement posted on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said the mission was executed under his direction and involved precise coordination between US forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

“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 said.

He further identified the slain operative as Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, also known as Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali al-Mainuki, and described him as the global second-in-command of the Islamic State. Trump said the militant believed he was safe hiding in Africa but was tracked through intelligence sources.

“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 stated. “He will no longer terrorise the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans. With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished.”

The US President also thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation, describing the joint effort as a successful example of international counter-terrorism coordination.

According to available intelligence reports, Al-Minuki was regarded as one of the highest-ranking figures within ISIS’s global leadership structure. He was also known by the name Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali al-Mainuki and allegedly functioned as the organisation’s global deputy commander.

He was designated by the US Department of State in 2023 under Executive Order 13224, which targets individuals and entities linked to terrorism financing and operational activities.

Reports from the Counter Extremism Project indicate that Al-Minuki primarily operated in the Sahel region of Africa, a vast and unstable belt spanning nearly a dozen countries. The region has long been a hotspot for extremist activity and militant insurgencies.

The report further stated that he served as a senior commander within the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and played a key role in coordinating operations linked to the Lake Chad basin. He was also reportedly involved in overseeing activities under ISIS’s General Directorate of Provinces, a central command structure responsible for global operations.

Security analysts note that the Sahel has become one of the most active theatres for ISIS-linked groups, with fragmented governance and ongoing insurgencies enabling militant networks to expand.

The announcement marks a significant development in ongoing international counter-terrorism efforts, particularly in Africa, where extremist groups continue to operate across porous borders and unstable regions. US officials have indicated that intelligence-driven joint operations with regional partners will remain a key component of efforts to dismantle remaining ISIS leadership networks globally.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)