The United States Africa Command, AFRICOM, has released footage from the military operation that reportedly led to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a senior commander of the Islamic State group.
In a statement issued on Saturday, AFRICOM said the operation was carried out on May 16, 2026, in coordination with the Nigerian government and under the directive of the President of the United States and the Secretary of War.
According to the command, the strike targeted a major ISIS enclave in northeastern Nigeria as part of ongoing counterterrorism operations in the Lake Chad Basin.
AFRICOM said preliminary assessments showed that several terrorists were killed during the mission, including Al-Minuki and other senior ISIS figures.
“At the direction of the President of the United States and the Secretary of War, and in coordination with the Government of Nigeria, U.S. Africa Command conducted an operation against ISIS in Northeastern Nigeria on May 16, 2026,” the statement read.
“The command’s initial assessment is that multiple terrorists, to include Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the director of global operations for ISIS, as well as other senior ISIS leaders, were killed during this operation. No U.S. service members were harmed.”
Commander of U.S. Africa Command, Dagvin Anderson, described the mission as a major success made possible through collaboration between American and Nigerian forces.
“As President Trump shared last night, AFRICOM in coordination with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, bravely and valiantly conducted a successful mission that resulted in the elimination of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, and multiple other ISIS leaders,” Anderson said.
“This operation underscores the exceptional value of the U.S.-Nigeria partnership and was made possible through the cooperation and coordination of our forces in recent months. Make no mistake, our two nations will relentlessly pursue and neutralize terrorist threats and are committed to protecting our people and interests.”
AFRICOM described Al-Minuki as a key figure within the global ISIS network, alleging that he coordinated media and financial operations while also overseeing the development of weapons, explosives and drones.
The command further claimed that the slain commander had been deeply involved in the planning of attacks and hostage-taking operations across different regions.
