Overview
- President Donald Trump announced Friday that U.S. and Nigerian forces killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as ISIS’s global number two.
- Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu confirmed the result, and the Nigerian Army said a pre-dawn operation in Metele, Borno State, lasted about four hours and also took out several lieutenants.
- Key details remain undisclosed, with reports differing on the precise location and tactics and early Nigerian statements pointing to the Lake Chad Basin.
- Al-Minuki was sanctioned by the United States in 2023 and was reported to coordinate Islamic State West Africa Province operations and the group’s General Directorate of Provinces.
- The strike follows stepped-up U.S. support to Nigeria since December, including drone deployments and about 200 troops focused on training and intelligence sharing against ISIS-linked groups.