U.S. forces have carried out airstrikes against Islamic State militants operating in north-western Nigeria, marking a significant escalation of American military involvement in a region long plagued by insurgent violence.
According to Sky News, the operation was confirmed by U.S. Africa Command, which said the strikes were conducted in Sokoto State “in coordination with Nigerian authorities.” A U.S. official told Reuters that multiple militant targets were killed in the attack.
President Donald Trump announced the strikes late Thursday from his residence at Mar-a-Lago, posting on Truth Social that the action followed repeated warnings to militants accused of 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!” Trump wrote.
“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.”
U.S. forces have carried out airstrikes against Islamic State militants operating in north-western Nigeria, marking a significant escalation of American military involvement in a region long plagued by insurgent violence.
According to Sky News, the operation was confirmed by U.S. Africa Command, which said the strikes were conducted in Sokoto State “in coordination with Nigerian authorities.” A U.S. official told Reuters that multiple militant targets were killed in the attack.
President Donald Trump announced the strikes late Thursday from his residence at Mar-a-Lago, posting on Truth Social that the action followed repeated warnings to militants accused of 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!” Trump wrote.
“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.
“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.
“Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper.”
Nigerian authorities later confirmed the strikes, describing them as the result of intelligence sharing and strategic cooperation between Washington and Abuja.
Nigeria faces a complex security crisis involving multiple armed groups, affecting both Christian communities, which are predominant in the south, and Muslim populations that make up the majority in the north.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu addressed the broader national context, urging unity and religious coexistence. “I stand committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect Christians, Muslims, and all Nigerians from violence,” he said, calling for peace “especially between individuals of differing religious beliefs.”
The airstrikes represent a sharp intensification of pressure on militant groups that Nigeria’s overstretched military has struggled to contain for years.
They also come days after U.S. forces conducted what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described as a “large-scale” operation in Syria, striking 70 Islamic State targets linked to weapons storage, infrastructure and fighters.
Although U.S. officials did not specify which Nigerian faction was hit, security analysts say the likely target was Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP), locally known as Lakurawa.
The group has become increasingly active and lethal over the past year in border states such as Sokoto and Kebbi, frequently attacking isolated communities and security forces.
Nigeria’s military has previously said Lakurawa has roots in neighboring Niger and expanded its operations after the 2023 military coup there, which strained relations between the two countries and disrupted joint security efforts along their porous border.
The deteriorating security situation in northern Nigeria drew international attention in November, when more than 230 students and staff were abducted from St Mary’s Catholic boarding school in Niger State.
All were released by December 22, but school kidnappings for ransom remain a recurring tactic used by armed gangs.
Following confirmation of the U.S. strikes, Nigeria’s foreign ministry said American forces had carried out precision attacks against “terrorist targets” in the north-west and affirmed continued cooperation with Washington in counter-terrorism efforts.
“Nigeria reiterates that all counter-terrorism efforts are guided by the primacy of protecting civilian lives, safeguarding national unity, and upholding the rights and dignity of all citizens, irrespective of faith or ethnicity,” the ministry said.
“Terrorist violence in any form, whether directed at Christians, Muslims, or other communities, remains an affront to Nigeria’s values and to international peace and security.”
The strikes follow policy steps taken by the Trump administration last month, when Nigeria was designated a “country of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act.
The administration also announced visa restrictions targeting Nigerians and family members linked to mass killings and violence against Christians.
Nigeria has previously rejected claims that Christian persecution alone defines its security crisis, arguing that extremist groups target both Muslims and Christians.
Despite those objections, Abuja has continued to engage with U.S. authorities to strengthen counter-terrorism operations as violence persists across multiple regions.
THE THIRD FORCE
