Donald Trump revealed that the deputy leader of the Islamic State militant group has been killed in a joint operation between the U.S. and Nigerian militaries.
Foreign news agencies reported that Donald Trump, U.S. president, announced on Friday (15 May 2026) that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the global number two leader of the Islamic State militant group (ISIS), was killed in a joint operation between U.S. and Nigerian forces.
The attack was praised by Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a "key example of effective cooperation in the fight against terrorism."
"Tonight, under my command, brave American forces joined with the Nigerian military to carry out a complex and meticulously planned mission flawlessly to eliminate one of the world’s most dangerous terrorists from the battlefield," said President Tinubu.
Trump posted on Truth Social, "Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the global deputy leader of ISIS, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had intelligence continuously tracking his movements."
In a statement posted on platform X, President Tinubu said initial assessments confirm that al-Minuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, was eliminated along with several of his senior aides during an attack on his hideout in the Lake Chad Basin.
Tinubu stated that the Nigerian military worked closely with U.S. allied forces in what he called a "daring mission" that inflicted severe damage on ISIS forces.
According to the U.S. government's central registry, al-Minuki, a Nigerian national, was designated a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" by the previous Biden administration in 2023.
Donald Trump, who had previously accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from Islamist militant attacks in the northwest region, expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government for its cooperation in this operation.
Follow international news:https://www.thairath.co.th/news/foreign
Source:cna