Trump says ISIL second-in-command Abu-Bilal al-Minuki killed
Key takeaways
- US and Nigerian forces carry out a joint operation against the commander, who was deemed a ‘global terrorist’ in 2023.
- “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 also thanked the Nigerian government for its partnership in the operation, but did not provide further details.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
US and Nigerian forces carry out a joint operation against the commander, who was deemed a ‘global terrorist’ in 2023.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo US President Donald Trump speaks to the media on board Air Force One [Evan Vucci/Reuters]By AFP and Reuters Published On 16 May 202616 May 2026Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, alleged to be the second-in-command of ISIL (ISIS) globally, has been killed in an operation conducted by United States and Nigerian forces, President Donald Trump said.
“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 in a post on Truth Social on Friday.