Will no longer terrorise us: Trump says Islamic State's No. 2 killed in daring op
With the death of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the second-in-command of the Islamic State, the global operations of the terror outfit are now greatly diminished, US President Donald Trump said.
The second-in-command of the terror outfit Islamic State was killed in a daring operation jointly conducted by the US and Nigerian forces, Donald Trump announced on Saturday. With the death of the secretive Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a Nigerian national, the global operations of the IS are now greatly diminished.
In his usual chest-thumping style, Trump said the operation was "meticulously planned", calling it a "very complex mission" in Nigeria. The terror group, which is severely weakened from its peak in the 2010s, did not comment on the claim.
Al-Minuki was considered the IS organisational and financial mastermind and was believed to be "plotting attacks" against the US and its interests abroad, US officials told CNN.
"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 posted on Truth Social.
The US President suggested that the American military had sources on the ground in Africa who kept it informed of al-Minuki's whereabouts.
"He will no longer terrorise the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans. With his removal, ISIS's global operation is greatly diminished," he further said.
Analysts said while the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was no doubt a significant blow to IS networks in Africa, the organisation remains decentralised.
WHO WAS ABU-BILAL AL-MINUKI?
Also known as Abu Bakr Muhammad al-Mainuki, he was based primarily in the Sahel region of Africa, according to a report by Counter Extremism Project. A shadowy figure, al-Mainuki functioned as a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The US State Department classified him as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in June 2023 due to his role in channelling international funding and guiding terror cells for the Islamic State.
This is, however, not the first fatal strike Trump has ordered on alleged Islamic State terrorists in Nigeria.
Last year, Trump alleged that Christians were being persecuted in Nigeria - a claim denied by the African nation's government.
Days after his allegation, the US conducted a powerful and deadly strike on alleged Islamic State camps in northwestern Nigeria. Trump justified the strike, claiming that ISIS terrorists were killing innocent Christians.
In February, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) carried out multiple strikes against more than 30 Islamic State targets in Syria. The operation, which targeted infrastructure and weapons storage, was carried out using fixed-wing, rotary-wing and unmanned aircraft.