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Trump says U.S. kills Islamic State leader in Nigeria

President Trump announced Friday evening that U.S. and Nigerian military forces had killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a leader in the Islamic State group.

Published May 16, 2026, 4:03 AM
Updated May 22, 2026, 10:36 PM2.8K
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Trump says U.S. kills Islamic State leader in Nigeria

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/ CBS News

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President Trump announced Friday evening that U.S. and Nigerian military forces had killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a leader of the Islamic State group.

"He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans," Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social. "With his removal, ISIS's global operation is greatly diminished."

A native of Nigeria, al-Minuki was described by the U.S. State Department in 2023 as a leader of the Islamic State, or ISIS. He was placed on the Treasury Department's specially designated global terrorist list, hitting him with steep sanctions.

This is a breaking story; it will be updated.

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