New Delhi, May 16: In a daredevil operation, global leader of the Islamic State (IS), Abu Bilal Al-Minuki, was killed in a joint operation conducted by the United States and Nigerian security forces last night.
“American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and highly complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield,” President Trump said.
“He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa or help plan operations targeting Americans,” Trump added. “With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished.”
Trump thanked the government of Nigeria for its “partnership” in the operation, while not disclosing the exact location where it took place.
The U.S. State Department described Al-Minuki as a Sahel-based IS senior leader and part of the group’s General Directorate of Provinces, the administrative body that provides operational guidance and funding worldwide.
IS has radically shifted in recent years, with around 90% of its attacks now taking place in sub-Saharan Africa. Its Nigeria-based branch is by far the most active.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said the two countries had carried out a “daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow” to IS.
Al-Minuki was declared a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by Washington in 2023. He had reportedly been promoted to “Head of the General Directorate of States,” making him one of the most senior figures within the global IS hierarchy.
