Joint Military Operation Targets Senior ISIS Leader
U.S. President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have announced the death of Abbilal Al Minuki, the deputy commander of ISIS, in a joint operation executed by U.S. and Nigerian forces in northeastern Africa. President Trump made the announcement via a post on Truth Social late Friday, while Tinubu referred to the operation as a significant demonstration of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism.
In his announcement, Trump emphasized the precision and complexity of the mission, stating, “Tonight, at my direction, our brave American and Nigerian troops perfectly executed a well-planned and extremely complex mission to remove the world’s most active terrorists from the battlefield. Abu Bilal Al Minuki thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had intelligence sources who could tell us what he was doing.”
Tinubu corroborated this information through social media, declaring that the Nigerian military had coordinated closely with the U.S. to conduct what he described as a bold operation that delivered a substantial blow to ISIS ranks. This recent development follows previous criticisms by Trump regarding Nigeria’s efforts to protect Christians from Islamic extremism; however, he commended the Nigerian government for its cooperation during this operation.
Details of the Counterinsurgency Operation
The Nigerian military disclosed that the airstrike occurred in Metere, Borno State, where precision air-ground operations were executed in close cooperation with U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). Borno has faced a prolonged 17-year insurgency driven by Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province, resulting in countless deaths and the displacement of over two million people.
This operation was part of Nigeria’s ongoing counter-insurgency initiative, which commenced around 12:01 a.m. and concluded by 4 a.m. on Saturday. The Nigerian military reported that no casualties or asset losses occurred during this mission. Al Minuki, a Nigerian national, was designated a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” in 2023 under the Biden administration, as noted in the U.S. Federal Register.
In response to allegations of religious discrimination, Nigeria maintains that its security forces target armed groups that pose threats to both Christians and Muslims alike. Furthermore, the U.S. had previously conducted strikes against ISIS-affiliated militants in Nigeria last December, and since then, Washington has deployed drones and approximately 200 troops to support the Nigerian military with training and intelligence in the ongoing battle against ISIS and al-Qaeda insurgents across West Africa.
Nigerian military officials have confirmed that U.S. troops are engaged strictly in a non-combat role, focusing on intelligence and operational support in their fight against these extremist groups. The successful mission to eliminate Al Minuki signals significant progress in the ongoing effort to combat terrorism in the region.
