Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of ISIS globally, was killed in a joint US-Nigerian military operation in Nigeria on May 15, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. US President Donald Trump said the mission was "meticulously planned, very complex," and "flawlessly executed" by American and Nigerian forces [1]. Trump also said al-Minuki "thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed" [2].
Al-Minuki had been under US sanctions since 2023 for his leadership role in ISIS activities across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin regions [2, 4, 7, 8]. His killing is considered a major setback for ISIS’s global and African networks. President Trump said, "With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished" [3].
The operation targeted ISIS militants active primarily in northeastern Nigeria and neighboring Sahel countries including Niger, Chad, and Mali [2, 4, 7]. The Nigerian military did not immediately comment on the raid but later confirmed that joint US-Nigerian airstrikes in Borno State on May 17 killed more than 20 ISIS militants without casualties to allied forces [10, 11]. Nigerian military spokesperson Ubba stated, "The joint US-Nigerian airstrike killed more than 20 ISIS militants and there were no casualties among our forces" [10].
US forces in Nigeria serve a non-combat role, providing support such as intelligence sharing and training to Nigerian troops [4, 7]. President Trump thanked the Nigerian government for its partnership in the operation [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. Trump has previously criticized Nigeria for insufficient efforts against Islamist militants and accused the government of persecuting Christians, a claim Nigeria denies [2, 4, 6, 8].
On May 18, 2026, US Africa Command and the Nigerian military confirmed the success of the May 17 airstrikes and highlighted the degradation of ISIS’s capability in northeastern Nigeria [10, 11]. The follow-up strikes killed over 20 ISIS West Africa Province militants with no allied casualties [10, 11].
