U.S.-Nigeria Operation Kills ISIS Leader in Lake Chad

A joint military operation conducted by Nigeria and the United States resulted in the death of senior ISIS leader Abu Bilal al Manuki, also known as Abu Mainok, in the Lake Chad Basin. This operation was confirmed by U.S.

President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who stated that it dealt a heavy blow to ISIS's ranks. Abu Bilal al Manuki, born in 1982 in Benisheikh, Borno State, Nigeria, was identified as a senior leader within ISIS operations in the Sahel and Lake Chad region.

He rose to prominence in 2018 after the killing of ISWAP leader Mamman Nur and became a key commander within the ISIS-aligned structure in the Lake Chad region. The U.S.

Department of State designated him as a Special Designated Global Terrorist on June 8, 2023. The operation underscores the growing security cooperation between Nigeria and the U.S. aimed at disrupting extremist leadership networks in the region.