U.S. Says It Carried Out Strike Against Islamic State Militants in Northwest Nigeria

Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump makes an announcement about the Navy's "Golden Fleet", as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan listen, at Mar-a-lago in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., 22 December 2025.

The United States has confirmed that it carried out a strike against Islamic State (IS) militants in northwest Nigeria at the request of the Nigerian government, according to statements from President Donald Trump and the U.S. military on Thursday. U.S. officials said the group had been targeting Christian communities in the region.

"Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!" President Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

The U.S. military’s Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the strike was carried out in Sokoto State in coordination with Nigerian authorities and resulted in the deaths of multiple IS militants. An earlier statement by AFRICOM indicated that the operation had been conducted at the request of Nigerian authorities, though that statement was later removed.

The strike comes after Trump in late October began warning that Christianity faces an "existential threat" in Nigeria and threatened to militarily intervene in the West African country over what he says is its failure to stop violence targeting Christian communities.

The strike follows repeated warnings by Trump in late October that Christianity faces what he described as an “existential threat” in Nigeria. He has previously threatened military intervention, accusing the Nigerian government of failing to curb violence against Christian communities.

Ongoing Security Cooperation

Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the strike formed part of ongoing security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, including intelligence sharing and strategic coordination aimed at targeting militant groups.

"This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the North West," the ministry said in a post on X.

Footage released by the Pentagon showed at least one projectile launched from a warship. A U.S. defence official said the strike targeted multiple militants at known IS camps. U.S. Secretary of War (Defence) Pete Hegseth thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation and added in a post on X: “More to come...”

The Nigerian government has repeatedly stated that armed groups in the country target both Muslims and Christians, arguing that claims of systematic persecution of Christians oversimplify a complex security situation and overlook efforts to protect religious freedom. Nevertheless, Nigeria has agreed to continue working with the United States to strengthen its security forces against militant groups.

Nigeria’s population is broadly divided between a predominantly Muslim north and a largely Christian south.

Earlier on Thursday, police reported that a suspected suicide bomber killed at least five people and injured 35 others at a mosque in northeast Nigeria, another region affected by Islamist insurgency.

In a Christmas message posted on X, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu called for peace, particularly among people of different religious beliefs. He reaffirmed his commitment to safeguarding religious freedom and protecting all Nigerians, regardless of faith, from violence.

President Trump issued his statement on the strike on Christmas Day while he was at his Palm Beach, Florida, Mar-a-Lago Club, where he has been spending the holiday. He had no public events during the day and was last seen by the reporters traveling with him on Wednesday night.

The U.S. military last week launched separate large-scale strikes against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria, after Trump vowed to hit back in the wake of a suspected ISIS attack on U.S. personnel in the country.

Source: Reuters



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