President Donald Trump said U.S. and Nigerian forces carried out a "very complex" mission Friday that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he called ISIS's global second-in-command.
Trump said al-Minuki had been hiding in Africa, but U.S. intelligence sources tracked his movements and enabled the joint operation.
The U.S. sanctioned al-Minuki in 2023 for Islamic State ties, and Trump said he had helped terrorize people in Africa and plan operations targeting Americans.
Trump thanked Nigeria for its partnership and said al-Minuki's removal had greatly diminished ISIS's global operations.
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Does killing a top leader cripple a terror group, or does it risk creating more unpredictable threats?