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Abu-Bilal al-Minuki: ISIL’s shadow commander in West Africa

Al Jazeera · May 16, 2026, 3:58 PM · Also reported by 4 other sources

Key takeaways

  • Nigeria and the US say ‘key’ ISIL figure was killed in joint military operation in Borno state.
  • Donald Trump first made the announcement in a social media post on Friday, without disclosing when or where the joint Nigerian-US military operation happened.
  • On Saturday, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said in a statement that al-Minuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, was killed “along with several of his lieutenants” during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.

Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.

Nigeria and the US say ‘key’ ISIL figure was killed in joint military operation in Borno state.

xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Nigeria's armed forces are facing a protracted fight with dozens of armed groups [File: Ahmed Kingimi/Reuters]By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 16 May 202616 May 2026The presidents of Nigeria and the United States have announced the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of ISIL (ISIS).

Donald Trump first made the announcement in a social media post on Friday, without disclosing when or where the joint Nigerian-US military operation happened.

Article preview — originally published by Al Jazeera. Full story at the source.
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