US President Donald Trump announced Saturday that Abu Bilal Al-Minouki, described as the second-in-command of ISIS globally, was killed during a joint operation involving US and Nigerian forces.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the mission was carried out under his direct orders and described it as “a highly complex and carefully planned operation.”

Trump stated that Al-Minouki believed he could hide in Africa but said US intelligence sources had been tracking his movements.

He added that the ISIS leader would “no longer terrorize the people of Africa” or help plan attacks against Americans.

Trump also thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation in the operation, saying the death of Al-Minouki would significantly weaken ISIS global operations.

The US president had previously announced in December that American forces carried out a strike targeting ISIS militants in Nigeria.