The United States carried out an airstrike against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria at the request of the Nigerian government, United States officials said on Thursday.
US Africa Command said the strike took place in Sokoto state and killed multiple ISIS fighters. President Donald Trump said the group had been targeting Christian communities in the region, a claim Nigerian authorities say oversimplifies the country's complex security situation.
Nigeria's foreign ministry said the strike was part of ongoing security cooperation with the United States, including intelligence sharing and coordinated operations against militant groups. The attack follows months of United States intelligence-gathering flights over Nigeria and renewed warnings from Trump about extremist violence in West Africa.
Trump on Truth Social:
"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!"
"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. May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues."
<social>https://x.com/TrumpDailyPosts/status/2004328321115435468?s=20</social>