US and Nigerian forces killed ISIS global deputy Abu-Bilal al-Minuki in a joint operation, Trump confirmed on early Saturday.

US President Donald Trump listens to reporters at the White House in Washington, DC, US, May 8, 2026.

(photo credit: REUTERS/ELIZABETH FRANTZ)

ByREUTERS, JERUSALEM POST STAFF

MAY 16, 2026 07:08

Updated: MAY 16, 2026 08:46

US President Donald Trump announced Friday that American and Nigerian troops had eliminated Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the worldwide second-in-command of ISIS, in a carefully coordinated mission.

"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. Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president withheld the precise site of the strike in his statement.

Al-Minuki, a citizen of Nigeria, received the designation of specially designated global terrorist from the prior Biden administration in 2023, per records in the US Federal Register.

Trump scrutinizes Nigeria over persecution of Christians

Trump, who has repeatedly faulted Nigeria for inadequate protection of Christians against Islamist militants in the northwest, expressed gratitude to Nigerian officials for their cooperation in the mission.

Nigeria maintains that its security services do not single out any faith and instead focus on armed factions that endanger both Christians and Muslims alike.

Last Christmas the United States conducted strikes on what it described as Islamist camps in northwestern Nigeria after Trump leveled fresh accusations.

"They were going to do it earlier," Trump told Politico in an interview at the time. "And I said, 'Nope, let's give a Christmas present.' ... They didn't think that was coming, but we hit them hard. Every camp got decimated."

Immediately after the strike Trump posted on social media to declare success and offered "MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists."

Washington has since sent drones and roughly 200 troops to supply training and intelligence assistance to Nigerian units battling Islamic State and al Qaeda-linked groups expanding across West Africa.

Nigerian military officials noted earlier this year that the American personnel remained in a strictly non-combat capacity.

Goldie Katz contributed to this report.