(The Hill) — On Friday evening, former President Trump announced that a collaborative effort between the United States military and Nigerian forces successfully led to the elimination of a prominent ISIS leader.
“Under my orders, courageous American troops along with the Nigerian Armed Forces successfully carried out a highly detailed and intricate mission to remove the world’s most active terrorist from the field,” Trump shared in a Truth Social post.
Trump identified the target as Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as “second in command” of the terrorist organization, noting that al-Minuki had been concealed in Africa.
“His reign of terror on the African continent and his role in orchestrating attacks against Americans has ended,” Trump added. “With his elimination, ISIS’s global capabilities are significantly weakened. I extend my gratitude to the Nigerian Government for their cooperation in this mission. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
According to a statement released by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) on Saturday, their preliminary analysis indicates that the operation also resulted in the deaths of additional ISIS leaders alongside al-Minuki.
“As President Trump shared last night, AFRICOM in coordination with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, bravely and valiantly conducted a successful mission that resulted in the elimination of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, and multiple other ISIS leaders,” AFRICOM Commander Gen. Dagvin Anderson said in the Saturday release.
“This operation underscores the exceptional value of the U.S.-Nigeria partnership and was made possible through the cooperation and coordination of our forces in recent months,” Anderson continued. “Make no mistake, our two nations will relentlessly pursue and neutralize terrorist threats and are committed to protecting our people and interests.”
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu commended both military forces in a Saturday statement, calling it a “significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism.”
“Our determined Nigerian Armed Forces, working closely with the Armed Forces of the United States, conducted a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State,” he said.
The Trump administration has previously targeted alleged ISIS members in the African nation. In what the president called a “Christmas present” to the militant group last December, the U.S. military launched strikes on “ISIS Terrorist Scum” in northwest Nigeria.
Multiple ISIS members were killed in that strike as well, according to AFRICOM.