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DONALD Trump says US forces have killed the “world’s most active terrorist” and ISIS second in command.
The US President said Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was “eliminated” after sources found him in hiding in Africa.
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He did not disclose the exact location of the operation.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the joint mission with Nigerian forces was “flawlessly executed”.
He wrote: “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.”
Al‑Minuki was declared a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by Washington in 2023.
His killing could mark the most significant setback for the Islamic State group since the killing of its leader Abu Bakr al‑Baghdadi in 2019.
Trump wrote: “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 will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans.”
The US state department described Al-Mainuki as a Sahel-based leading official of IS.
A hard-line militant, he reportedly worked within the Lake Chad division of ISIS’s General Directorate of Provinces (GDP) offices.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth branded Al-Mainuki the “number two for ISIS gobally”.
In a post on X he wrote: “Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was the senior ISIS General Directorate of Provinces Emir — the number two for ISIS globally — responsible for overseeing the planning of attacks, directing hostage-taking and managing financial operations.”
Hegseth said the operation demonstrates the “exceptional lethality, patience and skill of US forces”.
Who is Abu-Bilal al-Minuki ?
Abu-Bilal al-Minuki is a US-designated ISIS senior leader
He was believed to be based in the Sahel as a leading official in the Lake Chad division of ISIS’s General Directorate of Provinces (GDP) offices.
Due to his senior position in ISIS, the US Department of State designated him as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2023.
Al-Mainuki has reportedly held a regional commander position within ISIS since 2018.
He took over the role following the execution of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) leader Mamman Nur.
It is uncertain when al-Mainuki became senior leader of ISIS’s al-Furqan Office – one of ISIS’s best-established regional networks.
The regional offices provide ISIS affiliates with operational guidance and international funding.
He added: “This should serve as a reminder that we will hunt down those who wish to harm Americans or innocent Christians, wherever they are.”
Nigeria and the US have ramped up military cooperation in a bid to fight extremist violence blighting the country.
Just last month ISIS claimed responsibility for a horror attack at a football pitch.
Gunmen stormed the sports ground in Nigeria’s north-eastern Adamawa state and opened fire, killing at least 29 people.
Last Christmas, a joint US-Nigeria airstrike in Nigeria’s Sokoto state targeting ISIS-linked groups.
Since then, Washington has deployed drones and 200 troops to provide training and intelligence support to the Nigerian military.
Forces are fighting against IS and al Qaeda-linked insurgencies spreading across West Africa.
English (US) · 