On May 16, Beijing time, Washington reported: On the 15th local time, U.S. President Trump stated on social media that, under his direction, U.S. forces conducted a joint operation with the Nigerian armed forces that evening to “eliminate” Abu-Bilal Minoqui, the second-in-command of the extremist group “Islamic State.”
Trump said that with Minoqui’s “elimination,” the global operations of the “Islamic State” would be significantly weakened.
Minoqui is a Nigerian national. In 2023, the U.S. State Department designated him as a leader of the “Islamic State,” placed him on the U.S. Treasury Department’s specially designated global terrorist list, and imposed severe sanctions.
This is not the first time Trump has ordered deadly strikes against alleged “Islamic State” militants in Nigeria. Last December, Trump stated that he had ordered a “powerful and deadly strike” against the “Islamic State” in northwestern Nigeria, claiming these “terrorists” had been killing innocent Christians.
Islamic State
The term “Islamic State” typically refers to the extremist militant group that emerged from al-Qaeda in Iraq, declaring itself a caliphate in 2014 under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. It gained global notoriety for its brutal tactics, territorial conquests in parts of Iraq and Syria, and enforcement of a violent interpretation of Islamic law. The group was largely defeated territorially by 2019 through international military efforts, though its ideology and affiliated factions continue to pose security challenges in various regions.
Islamic State
The term “Islamic State” refers to a militant extremist group that emerged from al-Qaeda in Iraq, declaring itself a caliphate in 2014 under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. It gained notoriety for its brutal tactics, territorial conquests in Iraq and Syria, and its enforcement of a violent interpretation of Islamic law. The group was largely defeated territorially by 2019, though its ideology and affiliate groups continue to pose security threats in various regions.
