United States Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, says President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to prioritise the protection of Nigerian Christians targeted by ISIS-linked groups.
Speaking during a White House meeting, Hegseth said the directive led to intelligence and military operations that resulted in the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described by U.S. officials as ISIS’ second-in-command operating in Nigeria.
According to Hegseth, intelligence gathered during the operation also contributed to the deaths of “hundreds” of ISIS fighters linked to attacks on Christians and threats against the U.S. homeland.
He said many of the operations received little public attention despite their significance.
“There’s a lot of things we do that the media pays attention to, and a lot of things the president empowers the department to do on behalf of the American people that he deserves great credit for,” Hegseth said.
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