Trump announces the elimination of ISIS’s deputy leader, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki.

Trump expresses dissatisfaction with Iran's recent proposal.

“This evening, under my direction, courageous American forces alongside the Armed Forces of Nigeria successfully carried out a carefully orchestrated and intricate mission to remove the world’s most prominent terrorist from the battlefield. Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the global second-in-command of ISIS, believed he could find refuge in Africa, but he was unaware that we had assets keeping track of his activities,” Donald Trump stated in a post on Truth Social.

By Reuters May 16, 2026, 9:38:41 AM IST (Published)

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Trump says ISIS second in command Abu-Bilal al-Minuki eliminated
US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the global second-in-command of ISIS, was eliminated during an operation by US and Nigerian forces.

“This evening, under my direction, courageous American forces alongside the Armed Forces of Nigeria successfully carried out a carefully orchestrated and intricate mission to remove the world’s most prominent terrorist 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 stated in a post on Truth Social.

He also expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government for its collaboration on the operation.
Previously, Nigeria faced criticism from Trump, who claimed that Christians in the country were being persecuted, a claim the Nigerian government denies.

The US had previously targeted what it described as Islamist bases in northwestern Nigeria on Christmas Day of the previous year, following Trump’s allegations.

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