Overview
- Both governments, which announced the strike Saturday, say Abu‑Bilal al‑Minuki died in a coordinated air‑and‑ground raid on his compound in the Lake Chad basin.
- Nigeria’s military described a three‑hour night operation that used precision air and ground assets and reported no friendly casualties or lost equipment.
- President Trump called al‑Minuki ISIS’s global “number two,” though analysts question that claim and outlets note there is no independent confirmation of his exact rank.
- Monitoring groups say he was born in Borno in 1982, rose after a 2018 leadership change in ISIS’s West Africa branch, and was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2023.
- The mission follows expanded U.S. support in early 2026, including advisers and drones, and experts say a confirmed kill could unsettle ISIS‑linked networks in northeastern Nigeria.