Trump says IS second in command killed in Nigeria

US President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was killed in Nigeria during a joint mission involving US and Nigerian forces. 

Trump said al-Minuki was the second in command of the "Islamic State" (IS) terror organization globally.

"He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans," Trump said.

The US president said al-Minuki's removal leaves IS' global operation "greatly diminished."

Trump also thanked the government of Nigeria for its partnership in the mission to kill al-Minuki. 

Is there really a religious 'genocide' in Nigeria?

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Frequent violence by militant groups in Nigeria

Nigeria recently came under criticism from Trump, who claimed that Christians there were being persecuted by Islamist militants and that the government was not doing enough to stop the violence, which Nigerian authorities have denied.

The US carried out strikes on what it alleged were Islamist bases in northwestern Nigeria on December 25 last year in the wake of the US president's allegations.

Nigeria has seen considerable violence from a range of armed militant groups, including Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province.

Jihadist groups in Africa and their links

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Edited by: Sean Sinico and Karl Sexton