US-Nigerian Operation Kills Senior ISIS Leader Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, Trump Confirms

Former US President Donald Trump has announced that a senior Islamic State (ISIS) leader in Africa has been killed during a joint military operation involving American and Nigerian forces.

In a statement, Mr Trump identified the militant as Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, describing him as ISIS’s “global second-in-command” and one of the group’s most active operatives on the African continent.

He said the operation was carried out under his direction and claimed the mission had “greatly diminished” the capabilities of the extremist organisation.

According to Mr Trump, al-Minuki had been involved in coordinating attacks against American interests and supporting efforts to expand ISIS-linked activity across parts of Africa.

Neither the US Department of Defense nor Nigerian authorities have yet released detailed information about the operation, including where or when it took place. Independent verification of al-Minuki’s exact role within ISIS has also not yet been made public.

ISIS, which once controlled large areas of Iraq and Syria, has increasingly relied on regional affiliates in recent years, particularly in parts of Africa where armed extremist groups continue to operate. Security experts say organisations linked to ISIS remain active in countries including Nigeria, Niger, Mali, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Analysts believe the death of a senior commander could temporarily disrupt operations and recruitment efforts among ISIS-affiliated groups in the region. However, they caution that militant networks in Africa are often decentralised and capable of reorganising quickly.

The announcement comes amid continuing international counterterrorism efforts aimed at limiting the spread of extremist violence across the Sahel and other unstable regions. The United States has previously worked alongside African governments on intelligence-sharing, drone surveillance and military operations targeting armed groups.

Nigeria has faced years of insurgency from Islamist militant organisations, including Boko Haram and ISIS-linked factions operating in the country’s north-east. Thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced during the conflict.

So far, ISIS has not issued any public response to the claims surrounding al-Minuki’s death.