The United States military has carried out airstrikes against Islamic State–linked militants in north-western Nigeria, targeting camps in Sokoto State near the border with Niger.
According to the US military, the strikes hit militant camps operated by an IS-affiliated group, with an initial assessment indicating multiple fatalities.
Joint US–Nigeria Operation
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, confirmed that the strikes were conducted as a joint operation between both countries and were based on intelligence provided by Nigerian authorities.
He dismissed claims that the attacks were religiously motivated, stressing that the operation had “nothing to do with a particular religion.”
“The timing has nothing to do with Christmas. It is about attacking terrorists who have been killing Nigerians,” Tuggar said, adding that further strikes had not been ruled out.
Trump Calls Strikes ‘Powerful and Deadly’
US President Donald Trump described the Christmas Day strikes as “powerful and deadly”, branding the militants as “terrorist scum” and accusing them of killing innocent civilians.
In a social media post later that day, Trump said he would “not allow radical Islamic terrorism to prosper.”
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also confirmed the operation, thanking the Nigerian government for its support and cooperation.
Terror Groups Expanding into the North-West
Nigeria has battled jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State–linked factions for more than a decade, mainly in the country’s north-east. However, security experts say the expansion into the north-west is a relatively recent development.
Conflict analyst Bulama Bukati told the BBC that the strikes likely targeted Lakurawa, a smaller IS-aligned group that migrated from the Sahel and has recently established camps in Sokoto and Kebbi states.
“They have been launching attacks and imposing their own social laws in parts of Sokoto State over the past 18 months,” he said.
Religious Claims Disputed
The Trump administration has previously accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians and has designated the country a “country of particular concern” over alleged religious freedom violations.
However, violence-monitoring groups such as ACLED say there is no evidence that Christians are being targeted more than Muslims, noting that most victims of jihadist violence in Nigeria have been Muslims.
Nigerian officials have repeatedly maintained that militant attacks affect communities across religious lines.
Ongoing Security Cooperation
In a statement on Friday, Nigeria’s foreign ministry said the country remains engaged in structured security cooperation with international partners, including the US, to combat terrorism.
“This collaboration has resulted in precision airstrikes on terrorist targets in north-western Nigeria,” the ministry said.
BBC Monitoring reports that pro-IS social media channels had recently flagged near-daily US reconnaissance flights over Sokoto and Borno states ahead of the strikes.
Part of Wider US Campaign Against IS
The Nigeria operation marks the second major US military action against Islamic State in recent weeks.
Last week, the US said it carried out a large-scale strike on IS targets in Syria, hitting more than 70 locations in retaliation for an ambush that killed three Americans.
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