Trump: U.S., Nigeria eliminated ISIS deputy
- President Donald Trump said on May 16 that U.S. forces, working with Nigeria's military, eliminated the second-in-command of ISIS in a targeted operation. - Trump described the mission as 'complex and precise' and said it was conducted jointly with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, per ANI's report. - ANI published the statement May 16; U.S. and Nigerian officials have not released full operational details publicly. (aninews.in)
1/ President Donald Trump announced on May 16, 2026, that U.S. forces alongside Nigeria's military eliminated ISIS's second-in-command in a joint targeted operation. He called the mission "complex and precise." 2/ The statement came via Trump's Truth Social post, first reported by ANI. No name for the deputy was given, and neither U.S. nor Nigerian officials have confirmed details publicly as of May 17. This marks a rare public claim of such a high-level ISIS kill in Africa. 3/ ISIS, or Islamic State, has shifted focus to Africa since losing its caliphate in Syria-Iraq in 2019. Affiliates like ISWAP in Nigeria's northeast have grown, controlling territory and launching attacks. U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has conducted over 50 strikes there since 2017. 4/ Nigeria faces ongoing insurgency from Boko Haram and ISWAP. The group killed 200+ in recent attacks near Maiduguri, per UN data. U.S.-Nigeria military ties deepened under Trump 1.0 with $500M+ in aid since 2015, including training and intel sharing. 5/ Who was
