The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has released footage from a major counterterrorism operation in Northeastern Nigeria that reportedly led to the elimination of multiple ISIS fighters, including Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the world’s most wanted terrorist and the global second-in-command of the Islamic State group.
In a statement accompanying the video, AFRICOM said the overnight mission targeted “a significant presence of ISIS fighters in Northeastern Nigeria,” adding that the operation successfully neutralized several high-value targets.
“Last night’s operation targeted a significant presence of ISIS fighters in Northeastern Nigeria, eliminating multiple high-value individuals, including Abu-Bilal al-Minuki,” the command stated.
The development comes after former U.S. President Donald Trump announced that American forces, working alongside the Nigerian Armed Forces, carried out a coordinated military operation that resulted in the death of al-Minuki.
In a statement shared on his Truth Social account on Saturday, Trump disclosed that the operation followed months of intelligence gathering and strategic coordination focused on tracking the activities of the ISIS leader across Africa.
According to him, the mission marked a major breakthrough in ongoing international efforts to dismantle terrorist networks operating within the region.
Reacting to the development, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu described the overnight raid as “a significant example of effective collaboration” between Nigeria and the United States in the fight against terrorism.
Security analysts say the killing of al-Minuki could deal a major blow to ISIS operations in West Africa, particularly amid rising concerns over insurgent activities across the Lake Chad region and parts of the Sahel.
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