President Donald Trump said American and Nigerian forces carried out a coordinated mission that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as a top ISIS operational figure allegedly linked to threats against Africa and the United States.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A senior ISIS figure identified as Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was killed during a joint military operation involving U.S. and Nigerian forces, according to statements released by President Donald Trump and Nigerian authorities.
The operation targeted al-Minuki, described as a deputy leader and one of the terror organization’s most active operatives, following intelligence reports concerning his location inside Nigeria. According to The Epoch Times, the mission was conducted through cooperation between American military personnel and the Nigerian Armed Forces.
In a statement posted to Truth Social, President Trump said the strike had been ordered directly by his administration and involved extensive planning between both governments.
“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.
According to the president, U.S. intelligence agencies received information concerning al-Minuki’s whereabouts before coordinating with Nigerian officials on the operation.
“He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans. With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished,” Trump stated.
The operation follows months of increasing American involvement in counterterrorism operations in Nigeria and the surrounding region. In late 2025, President Trump publicly warned that Christians in Nigeria were facing what he described as an “existential threat” from radical Islamist groups operating throughout parts of the country.
Several weeks after those remarks, the Trump administration authorized strikes against ISIS targets in northwestern Nigeria with support from the Nigerian government.
At the time, Trump accused terrorist organizations of carrying out widespread killings targeting Christian communities.
“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was,” Trump wrote following the earlier operations.
Approximately 100 American troops have reportedly been stationed in Nigeria since February, primarily assisting with military training and counterterrorism coordination efforts involving Nigerian security forces.
While Nigerian officials have accepted American military assistance against extremist organizations including ISIS affiliates and Boko Haram, the government has disputed claims that Christians alone are being targeted. Nigerian authorities have maintained that terrorist attacks in the country affect citizens from multiple religious backgrounds.
The U.S. State Department has nevertheless designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act. The designation has been accompanied by visa restrictions targeting individuals accused of involvement in mass killings and violence directed at Christian communities.
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