U.S. President Donald Trump announced on May 15, 2026, that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of ISIS globally, was killed in a joint operation by American and Nigerian forces. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the mission was carried out “at my direction” and involved “brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria” executing “a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield”.
According to Trump, al-Minuki had attempted to hide in Africa but was tracked through intelligence sources. He added that with al-Minuki’s removal, “ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished” and thanked the Nigerian government for its partnership in the operation. Al-Minuki, also identified as Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali al-Mainuki, had been under U.S. sanctions since 2023 for ties to ISIS.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian military later confirmed al-Minuki’s killing in a joint operation with U.S. forces, describing him as “a senior ISIS leader and one of the world’s most active terrorists”. The U.S. State Department had designated al-Minuki a “specially designated global terrorist” in 2023, citing his role as a Sahel-based ISIL senior leader.
Trump did not disclose the exact location of the operation or whether it involved airstrikes. The announcement follows increased U.S.-Nigeria counterterrorism cooperation in 2025 and 2026, including strikes in northwestern Nigeria and the deployment of U.S. troops for training and intelligence support.
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