Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump revealed in a post on the Truth Social platform that Abu Bilal al-Minuki, the second-in-command overseeing the Islamic State (ISIS) global network, has been killed in a joint operation by the U.S. and Nigerian armies.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Trump stated that he ordered the U.S. military to conduct a complex and meticulously planned mission with the Nigerian army to eliminate what he identified as the leader of this terrorist group from the battlefield. He added that the vice-leader of ISIS thought he could hide in Africa, but the U.S. had intelligence sources constantly monitoring his movements.
Mr. Trump also thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation in this operation. Nigeria has previously been under scrutiny and criticism from President Trump, who stated that Christians in Nigeria were being persecuted. The Nigerian government has denied these allegations. However, the United States launched an offensive in northwestern Nigeria on Christmas Day last year, citing it as a stronghold of Muslim militants.