United States President Donald Trump has announced a military high-level joint operation with the Nigerian Armed Forces that has resulted in the death of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the second-in-command of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS, worldwide.
In a statement released on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Saturday, Trump stated that it was a result of months of intelligence gathering and coordinated surveillance of the activities of the feared terrorist leader in Africa.
The U.S. president says al-Minuki had become one of the most active and “dangerous” ISIS commanders, coordinating terror plots, assisting in extremist activities and allegedly helping to organize attacks against the interests of Americans and vulnerable communities throughout the African continent.
Trump said that “brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria successfully carried out a meticulously planned and very complex mission” in his name to take the “most active terrorist in the world” off the battlefield tonight.
The murdered ISIS leader also believed he could evade capture by operating from Africa and was closely monitored by intelligence operatives, he added.
“Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, who is the second in command of ISIS worldwide, believed he would be able to hide in Africa, but he did not realize we had sources in there that told us all that he was doing,” Trump said.
The American leader claimed that the attack was a major blow to ISIS operations globally and it diminishes the group’s influence in Africa.
He will not terrorise the people of Africa again, or he will not help to organise operations to attack Americans again, he said, “ISIS’s global operation, considerably diminished by his removal.
Trump also praised the Nigerian government and military officials for their cooperation in the operation, saying the cooperation between the two countries is key to the success of the mission.
He thanked the Government of Nigeria for its cooperation in this operation.
The development is expected to further enhance security cooperation between the two countries in view of the increasing insecurity in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa and the Sahel.
