U.S., Nigeria reportedly kill Islamic State second-in-command

U.S. forces carried out strikes on Islamic State targets over the weekend in coordination with the Nigerian military, U.S. Africa Command announced Sunday. The strikes killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the terror group’s global second-in-command, according to the U.S. military’s initial assessment. In a post on social media, President Donald Trump said covert sources in Nigeria divulged the terrorist leader’s location and activities, Trump said. Several of al-Minuki’s lieutenants also died, according to the Nigerian government.

The operation occurred on Saturday and Sunday at and near al-Minuki’s compound near Lake Chad in northeastern Nigeria. U.S. Africa Command said that no U.S. troops were harmed in the operation.

What did al-Minuki do as part of the Islamic State terror group? He guided its global media and financial operations as well as its development and manufacture of weapons, drones, and explosives, according to U.S. Africa Command. He was the world’s most active terrorist and helped plan many attacks and hostage events, U.S. forces said. The Nigerian government previously erroneously claimed al-Minuki had been killed in 2024.

Dig deeper: Read my report about an Islamic State affiliate that attacked Christian communities in Congo earlier this month.