Acting on a request from the Nigerian government, the United States has carried out a deadly airstrike targeting Islamic State (IS) militants in north-west Nigeria. The operation, confirmed on Thursday by US President Donald Trump and the American military, reportedly focused on IS fighters accused of attacking civilian populations, particularly Christians.
President Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social:
“Tonight, as Commander-in-Chief, I ordered a powerful and lethal strike against ISIS terrorists in north-west Nigeria. They were brutally attacking innocent people, especially Christians, in a way rarely seen for decades, even centuries.”
The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) stated that the strike was coordinated with Nigerian authorities in Sokoto State, resulting in the deaths of several IS fighters. A preliminary AFRICOM statement indicated the operation was conducted at Nigeria’s request, though the post was later removed from X (formerly Twitter).
Background
The airstrike comes amid heightened US concern over attacks on Christians in Nigeria. At the end of October, President Trump warned that Christians in the country faced an “existential threat” and suggested that the US might intervene militarily if the violence continued. According to Reuters, US surveillance aircraft have been conducting intelligence-gathering flights across Nigeria since late November.
The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the strike formed part of ongoing security cooperation with the US, aimed at targeting armed groups through intelligence sharing and strategic coordination. A ministry post on X noted that the operation enabled precision strikes on terrorist positions in north-western Nigeria.
Details of the Strike
A Pentagon-released video shows missiles being launched from a US warship. A US defence official stated that the strike specifically targeted IS fighters in known strongholds. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked the Nigerian government on X, adding: “More is coming…”
Nigerian officials, however, stress that armed groups in the country attack both Muslim and Christian communities, and caution that emphasising only attacks on Christians risks overlooking the broader security challenges and efforts to protect religious freedoms. Despite this, the Nigerian government has agreed to work closely with the US to enhance counterterrorism capabilities.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is divided along religious lines, with the north predominantly Muslim and the south largely Christian. On Thursday, a suspected suicide bombing at a mosque in north-eastern Nigeria killed at least five people and injured 35 others, underscoring ongoing instability caused by Islamist insurgents.
Earlier this month, President Bola Tinubu called for national unity and the protection of all religious communities. Speaking on Christmas Day, he said:
“I will do my utmost to ensure religious freedom in Nigeria and protect all citizens—Christians, Muslims, and others—from violence.”
President Trump, meanwhile, was at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida on Christmas Day and issued statements about the airstrike despite having no official public engagements. The operation follows a recent US strike on IS in Syria, carried out after intelligence suggested a potential attack on American forces.