AFRICOM Drops Video Of Joint Nigeria-US Mission That Took Out ISIS Commander

The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has released footage of the airstrike that killed ISIS commander Abu-Bilal al-Minuki and several other senior members of the terrorist group in Nigeria’s North-East region.

AFRICOM, in a post on X on Saturday, said the operation targeted a major concentration of ISIS fighters in Northeastern Nigeria.

“Last night’s operation targeted a significant presence of ISIS fighters in Northeastern Nigeria eliminating multiple high value individuals including Abu-Bilal al-Minuki,” the command stated while releasing a video of the strike.

In a separate statement, AFRICOM said the operation was carried out in coordination with the Nigerian government.

“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 said its preliminary assessment indicated that several terrorists were killed during the operation, including al-Minuki, who it identified as ISIS’ director of global operations.

“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,” AFRICOM stated.

Commander of AFRICOM, General Dagvin Anderson, described the mission as a successful joint effort between U.S. 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.

He added that the operation highlighted the growing military cooperation between both countries.

“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,” he said.

On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. military, working alongside Nigerian forces, had eliminated al-Minuki.

Al-Minuki, 44, was a Nigerian from Mainok in Benisheikh area of Borno State, one of the epicentres of Nigeria’s prolonged insurgency. U.S. authorities designated him a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) on June 8, 2023.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Saturday commended the United States and Nigerian security agencies for the operation, describing it as a major success in the fight against terrorism.