US President Donald Trump has claimed that the Islamic State’s global second-in-command, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, was killed in a joint operation by American and Nigerian forces in Africa. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Friday, Trump said the mission was carried out under his direction and described it as a highly precise and well-planned operation to eliminate one of the world’s most active terrorists.

Trump stated that al-Minuki believed he could hide in Africa but was tracked through intelligence monitoring his every move. The United States had imposed sanctions on al-Minuki in 2023 for his involvement with ISIS. According to Trump, his death would significantly reduce the group’s global operations and prevent further attacks targeting Americans or Africans.

The US president also thanked the Nigerian government for its partnership and praised the bravery of both nations’ armed forces for successfully completing the mission.