WASHINGTON, United States — United States President Donald Trump has announced that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of the Islamic State (ISIS) globally, was killed during a joint military operation involving American and Nigerian forces.
Trump disclosed the development in a social media post published early on Saturday, describing the operation as a “meticulously planned and very complex mission” carried out in Nigeria.
Okay News reports that the US president said the operation involved coordinated action between American troops 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 wrote.
The US president said al-Minuki had been operating from Africa while allegedly supporting international terrorist activities.
“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,” he said.
“He will no longer terrorise the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans.”
Trump added that the killing of the ISIS figure represents a significant blow to the terrorist group’s global operations.
“With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished,” he said.
The US president also acknowledged the role of the Nigerian government in the operation.
Trump thanked Nigeria for what he described as its “partnership on this operation.”
