United States President, Donald Trump, on Friday announced the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of the Islamic State terror group globally, in a joint military operation involving American and Nigerian forces.
Trump said the coordinated mission, carried out at his directive, successfully eliminated one of the world’s most wanted terrorists, whom he accused of orchestrating attacks across Africa and plotting operations against Americans.
“Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and highly complex mission to eliminate the world’s most active terrorist from the battlefield,” Trump said in a statement.
According to the US president, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki had believed he could evade capture by hiding in Africa, unaware that intelligence sources were closely monitoring his movements and activities.
“He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa or help plan operations targeting Americans,” Trump declared, adding that the operation dealt a major blow to ISIS’ global network and operational capacity.
Trump also commended the Nigerian government for its cooperation and strategic partnership in the counterterrorism mission.
“With his removal, ISIS’ global operation is greatly diminished. Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation,” he added.
