United States forces, working alongside the Nigerian Armed Forces, have carried out a joint operation that led to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) globally.
United States President, Donald Trump announced in a statement on his Truth Social account on Saturday.
Trump said the operation was carefully planned and successfully executed with intelligence support that tracked the activities of the terrorist leader in Africa.
According to the US president, the mission was aimed at removing one of the world’s most active terrorist figures, whom he accused of coordinating attacks and supporting operations targeting Americans and African communities.
He added that the death of al-Minuki would significantly weaken ISIS’ global operations and reduce the group’s influence across the African continent.
Trump also commended the Nigerian government and the country’s armed forces for their cooperation and partnership during the operation.
He wrote, “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.
“He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans. With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished. Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation. GOD BLESS AMERICA! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Nigeria recently came under criticism from Trump, who claimed that Christians there were being persecuted by Islamist militants and that the government was not doing enough to stop the violence, which Nigerian authorities have denied.
The US carried out strikes on what it alleged were Islamist bases in northwestern Nigeria on December 25 last year in the wake of the US president's allegations.
Nigeria has seen considerable violence from a range of armed militant groups, including Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province.
Post a Comment