Trump appreciates Nigeria’s partnership in killing of ISIS leader
US President Donald Trump
Abdullateef Fowewe
United States President Donald Trump has on Saturday lauded a combined United States–Nigeria operation that he said eliminated Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, who U.S. officials described as “the most active terrorist in the world” and the group’s second-in-command.
In a statement, Trump credited Nigerian forces and U.S. intelligence sources for tracking the Islamic State figure and carrying out a “meticulously planned and very complex 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. He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans,” Trump said.
Trump framed the operation as a major blow to ISIS’s global capabilities.
“With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished,” he said, later adding, “Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
