ISIL Appoints Abu-Bilal al-Minuki as Shadow Commander in West Africa Region

US and Nigerian Presidents Announce Joint Military Operation Resulting in Death of ISIL Figure

The presidents of Nigeria and the United States have announced that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of ISIL (ISIS), was killed during a joint military operation in Borno state. The operation took place on Saturday between midnight and 4am local time.

According to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s statement, al-Minuki was killed along with several of his lieutenants during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin. The Nigerian army described the operation as “a meticulously planned and highly complex precision air-land operation”.

Al-Minuki had been under US sanctions since 2023 and was previously known for his leadership role in Boko Haram before pledging allegiance to ISIL in 2015. He was described by the Nigerian army as a key operational and strategic figure who provided guidance to ISIL entities outside Nigeria on media operations, economic warfare, and weapons manufacturing.

The operation resulted in the death of al-Minuki, who oversaw ISIL-linked operations across the Sahel and West Africa, including attacks against ethnic and religious minority communities. The US and Nigerian militaries did not disclose further details about the joint operation or its location.

Experts say that the killing of al-Minuki will disrupt ISWAP’s operational capabilities in the short term, but also note that the group has proven resilient due to its decentralized command structure.

Source: Al Jazeera