In 2023, the U.S. and Nigerian militaries conducted a joint operation against a commander deemed a “global terrorist.”
Published May 16, 2026
President Donald Trump announced that Abbilal al-Minuki, the Islamic State’s second-in-command, was killed in an operation by the US and Nigerian military.
“The brave American and Nigerian military perfectly executed a well-planned and highly complex mission to remove the world’s most active terrorists from the battlefield,” President Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Friday.
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“Abu Bilal al-Minuki, the world’s second-largest ISIS commander, thought he could hide out in Africa, but little did he know that we had a source that would keep us informed of what he was doing.”
President Trump also thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation in the operation, but did not provide further details.
Al-Minuki has been under US sanctions since 2023 due to his ties to ISIL.
In announcing its designation of al-Minuki to the list of “global terrorists,” the U.S. State Department described him as a senior leader of the Sahel-based ISIL and a member of the State Directorate, the group’s administrative arm that provides “operational guidance and financing around the world.”
“His removal will significantly reduce ISIS’ global operations,” President Trump said.
last strike
President Trump has for months accused Nigeria of not doing enough to stop militants targeting Christians in the country’s northwest.
Abuja denies the charges and says the militants target both Muslim and Christian communities in the country.
On Christmas Day last year, the US military conducted airstrikes targeting ISIL fighters operating in Sokoto state.
Since then, the United States has sent hundreds of troops to Nigeria to provide technical assistance and intelligence sharing in the fight against the insurgents.
Nigeria said U.S. forces were playing a strictly non-combat role.
