President Donald Trump announced Saturday that U.S. and Nigerian forces carried out a joint counterterrorism operation in northeastern Nigeria that killed a senior ISIS leader identified as Abu-Bilal al-Minuki.
According to Trump and Nigerian officials, al-Minuki served as the second-in-command of Islamic State globally and oversaw the group’s international operations network.
The operation took place in the Lake Chad Basin region spanning Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon, where ISIS-linked militants remain active through factions including the Islamic State West Africa Province.
Al-Minuki, also known as Abu-Mainok or Abu Bilal al-Manuki, was reportedly born in Nigeria’s Borno State and rose through the ranks of ISWAP before assuming a broader leadership role within ISIS.
US officials previously designated al-Minuki as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2023 because of alleged involvement in planning attacks, kidnappings and weapons operations.
Authorities linked him to several major terrorist activities, including the 2018 kidnapping of schoolgirls in Dapchi, Nigeria, according to reports discussing his role inside the terrorist organization.
US officials also alleged al-Minuki helped oversee ISIS media operations, financing networks and development of explosives, drones and weapons systems.
The mission involved Nigerian troops from Joint Task Force Operation HADIN KAI working alongside United States Africa Command in a coordinated strike operation.
Forces reportedly targeted a compound located on small islands within the Lake Chad region during the raid conducted earlier this week.
Early assessments from both governments indicated al-Minuki was killed alongside several lieutenants and additional ISIS fighters during the operation.
Officials also stated no US service members were injured during the mission.
“Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission,” Trump said in a statement posted online Saturday.
Trump added that al-Minuki “will no longer terrorize the people of Africa or help plan operations to target Americans.”
The president also thanked the Nigerian government for cooperating with US military and intelligence officials during the counterterrorism operation.
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu confirmed the operation’s success in a public statement released Saturday.
Tinubu described the strike as a major example of effective cooperation between Nigeria and the U.S. in combating terrorism across West Africa.
The Nigerian president also credited expanded intelligence-sharing efforts between the two countries for helping locate and target the ISIS compound.
The Lake Chad Basin has remained one of the most unstable regions in Africa because of ongoing insurgencies involving ISIS-linked militants and Boko Haram factions, per Trending Politics.
US Africa Command has continued conducting joint operations and airstrikes across Africa in coordination with regional governments targeting ISIS and al-Shabaab networks.
Recent operations in 2026 have included strikes against al-Shabaab and ISIS-Somalia targets conducted alongside the Somali government.
The latest operation marks one of the most significant counterterrorism missions announced by the Trump administration in Africa since Trump returned to office earlier this year.
