US, Nigerian Forces Eliminate ISIS Second-in-Command in Joint Operation
WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump announced on Friday that Abu Bilal al-Minuki, the global second-in-command of ISIS, was eliminated in a joint military operation conducted by US and Nigerian armed forces.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump stated the mission was executed at his direction. “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,” he wrote.
Trump suggested the ISIS leader believed he could operate from Africa with impunity. “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,” the US president added.
He concluded his announcement by thanking the Nigerian government for its partnership in the successful operation. The collaboration follows previous scrutiny from Trump regarding the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, a claim the Nigerian government denies. Last year, on Christmas Day, the US conducted airstrikes on what it described as militant bases in northwestern Nigeria following Trump’s accusations.
Sources: Source
