The United States has praised Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts and confirmed a collaborative joint operation that eliminated senior ISIS leader Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, in the Lake Chad Basin.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclosed that American and Nigerian security agencies recently collaborated in an operation that eliminated the senior global ISIS leader alongside multiple lieutenants during an assault on his compound.
President Donald Trump described the operation as eliminating “the most active terrorist in the world,” calling al-Minuki “second command of ISIS globally” and emphasizing the strike dealt a blow to IS’s networks in Africa and globally by disrupting their funding and command systems.
Al-Minuki was designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. in 2023 and played a key role in coordinating attacks across West Africa. He was killed during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin, an expansive area of wetlands and waterways shared by Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon.
President Bola Tinubu hailed the joint Nigeria-U.S. operation, remarking that the two nations executed a “bold joint operation that inflicted a substantial setback” on IS, adding that Nigeria appreciates the partnership with the United States in advancing their shared security objectives.
Military officials indicated intelligence confirmed Minuki had fortified his stronghold in Metele, Borno State, and that the operation resulted in “zero casualties or asset losses,” highlighting the increasing collaboration between Nigerian and U.S. forces.
U.S. President Trump expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government for their partnership, asserting that Minuki “will no terrorize people of Africa or aid in planning operations against Americans,” marking a significant victory in the ongoing war against terrorism in West Africa.
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