Nigerian Army Denies Trump’s Claim of US Involvement in ISIS Operation

The Nigerian Army’s Information Department Director stated that no foreign forces were directly involved in the operation targeting and killing Abu-Bilal Al-Minnawaki, a senior ISIS commander in West Africa. These remarks were made in response to US President Donald Trump’s earlier announcement of a “joint operation” between the United States and Nigeria. Michael Onwuama, spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, emphasized that the US role in the operation was limited to technical support and assistance, with no foreign troops participating on the ground. According to him, the entire operation was carried out by Nigerian security forces. Previously, Trump had shared a message declaring that the joint military cooperation between the two countries had led to the elimination of this ISIS commander. However, Nigerian military officials have provided a different account of how the operation was conducted. The US president has made other statements regarding his country’s military achievements, including claims that Iran’s missile capability had been destroyed—an assertion not confirmed by a NATO-affiliated intelligence report. Iranian officials, for their part, have consistently emphasized the continuity of their defensive capabilities.