BY PC Burau
May 16, 2026: The second-in-command of the Islamic State terror group was killed in a joint operation carried out by US and Nigerian forces, US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday. The slain militant, identified as Abu-Bilal al-Minuki — a Nigerian national — was described by US officials as a key organisational and financial strategist within the extremist network.
Announcing the operation on Truth Social, Trump said the mission had been “meticulously planned” and described it as a “very complex” operation conducted in Nigeria. He claimed the killing would significantly weaken the global capabilities of the Islamic State, which has already suffered major setbacks since its peak influence in the 2010s.
According to US officials quoted by CNN, al-Minuki had been involved in coordinating finances and planning attacks targeting American interests abroad. He was considered one of the most influential figures within the group’s African operations.
“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 on Truth Social.
The US President also suggested that American intelligence assets in Africa had been tracking al-Minuki’s movements for some time. “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 added.
Despite the high-profile announcement, the Islamic State has not issued any statement confirming or denying the claim. Analysts cautioned that while al-Minuki’s death would be a major setback for IS-linked networks in Africa, the organisation remains decentralised and capable of operating through regional affiliates.
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🚨 BREAKING: President Trump announced American forces have executed an operation to KlLL ISIS’ global second in command, Abu-Bilal al Minuki, in Nigeria
TRUMP: “Little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing.
He will no longer terrorize the people… pic.twitter.com/fcDgBl2Lsn
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) May 16, 2026
Who Was Abu-Bilal al-Minuki?
Also known as Abu Bakr Muhammad al-Mainuki, the militant leader reportedly operated mainly in the Sahel region of Africa and was associated with the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). A relatively shadowy figure, he was believed to play a central role in coordinating funding networks and guiding militant cells linked to the Islamic State.
The US State Department designated him a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in June 2023, accusing him of facilitating international financing and supporting terrorist operations across the region.
This is not the first major anti-ISIS operation ordered by Trump in Africa. Last year, after alleging that Christians were being persecuted in Nigeria — claims denied by the Nigerian government — the US launched strikes on suspected Islamic State camps in northwestern Nigeria. Trump defended those operations by claiming ISIS-linked militants were targeting Christian civilians.
Earlier this year, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) also conducted multiple strikes against more than 30 Islamic State targets in Syria. The operation targeted infrastructure and weapons storage facilities using fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial systems.
