Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has questioned the alliance involved in the fight against terrorism following the reported killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, said to be the second-in-command of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria globally, during a joint operation by American forces and the Nigerian military.
Reacting in a Facebook post on Saturday, Gumi stated that although eliminating terrorists was necessary, such actions should not involve individuals he accused of having “hands stained with the blood of innocent men, women, and children.”
“It’s a religious obligation to annihilate terrorists, but not with Beelzebub and hands stained with the blood of innocent men, women, and children,” he wrote.
His reaction followed an announcement by former United States President Donald Trump, who disclosed that US forces, in collaboration with the Nigerian Armed Forces, carried out a coordinated military operation in Africa that resulted in the death of al-Minuki.
Trump, in a statement posted on his Truth Social account on Saturday, said the operation was achieved after extensive intelligence gathering and strategic planning aimed at tracking the ISIS leader’s activities across the continent.
According to him, al-Minuki was one of the most active figures within ISIS and was allegedly linked to coordinating attacks and supporting terrorist activities targeting Americans and African communities.
The former US president further stated that the operation would weaken ISIS operations globally and reduce the terrorist group’s influence in Africa.
Trump also commended the Nigerian government and military authorities for their cooperation and support during the mission.
