President Donald Trump announced Friday evening that U.S. and Nigerian military forces killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a high-ranking leader of the Islamic State. Al-Minuki, who served as the group's second in command globally, had been hiding in Africa.
The operation was a joint mission between U.S. and Nigerian forces. President Trump described the effort as a meticulously planned and very complex mission and thanked the Nigerian government for its partnership. He stated that while al-Minuki thought he could hide in Africa, U.S. sources kept them informed of his activities.
President Trump noted that the death of the ISIS leader has greatly diminished the group's global operations. This collaboration follows a period where Nigeria had come under the President's radar for alleged incidents of Christian persecution.