US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, had been eliminated in an operation conducted by US and Nigerian forces.
"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. Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
He also thanked the Nigerian government for its partnership in the operation. Nigeria had earlier come under scrutiny from Trump who had said that Christians there were being persecuted, which the African nation's government denies. The US had struck what it said were Islamist bases in northwestern Nigeria on Christmas Day last year, following Trump's accusations.
Who is Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali al-Mainuki?
According to available reports, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, also identified as Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali al-Mainuki, was considered one of the top-ranking figures within the ISIS leadership structure and allegedly functioned as the organisation's global deputy commander.
Owing to his senior role within the terror outfit, he was sanctioned by the US Department of State in 2023 under Executive Order 13224, which targets individuals and organisations linked to terrorism financing and activities.
A report by the Counter Extremism Project stated that Al-Mainuki primarily operated across the Sahel region in Africa, an area spread across nearly 12 countries. The report further noted that he served as a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and oversaw operations connected to the Lake Chad division under ISIS's General Directorate of Provinces (GDP).
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