Trump Announces Killing of ISIS Second-In-Command
US President Donald Trump said Abu Bilal al-Minuki, described as the world’s “most active terrorist,” was killed during a coordinated operation with Nigerian forces.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that Abu Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as the second-in-command of ISIS globally, had been killed during a joint operation carried out by US and Nigerian forces.
In a statement published on the social media platform Truth Social on May 16, 2026, Trump said the operation was conducted “at my direction” and involved both American forces and the Nigerian Armed Forces.
“Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield,” Trump wrote.
He identified the target as “Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally.”
According to Trump, the ISIS figure believed he could hide in Africa, but US intelligence sources had been monitoring his activities.
“He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans,” Trump stated.
The US president added that the removal of Minuki had significantly weakened ISIS operations worldwide.
“With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished,” he said.
Trump also thanked the Nigerian government for cooperating in the operation.
“Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation. GOD BLESS AMERICA!” the statement concluded.