The United States carried out airstrikes against militants affiliated to the Islamic State in northwestern Nigeria, American military officials said, targeting camps in an area where the extremist group has sought to expand its presence.
The strikes hit facilities operated by the group in Sokoto State, near Nigeria’s border with Niger, according to the US military. An initial assessment indicated that multiple militants were killed, officials said, though the full extent of the damage was still being evaluated.
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said the strike was carried out in response to the alleged killings of Christians 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!” he wrote.
Trump emphasised that he had previously warned these terrorists that there would be consequences if they did not stop the attacks on Christians.
“I warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was,” he added.
He further highlighted the precision and effectiveness of the strike, stating that it was executed under his direction by the US military “as only the United States is capable of doing.”
“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing,” he said.
“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,” Trump said.
In the Lake Chad region, ISIS-West Africa (ISIS-WA), which split from Boko Haram (BH) in 2015, and, to a lesser extent, Boko Haram, have continued to carry out attacks against civilians, government targets, and security forces. These attacks have caused deaths, injuries, abductions, and widespread property destruction.
Countries in the region, including Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Benin, have worked to counter these threats, often in conjunction with the Multinational Joint Task Force, but have struggled to stop ISIS-WA’s advance or ensure adequate governance and civilian protection.
The United States has supported these efforts through advisors, intelligence, training, logistics, and equipment, as well as stabilization programs including defection, demobilization, disengagement, de-radicalization, and reintegration initiatives.
Partner countries remain determined to fight terrorism but lack the means to sustain counterterrorism operations.
Terrorist groups have also exploited local conflicts, including longstanding disputes between ethnic groups and farmer-herder clashes, to recruit supporters and advance their operational objectives. In Nigeria, ISIS and Boko Haram have manipulated tensions between the Peuhl and Fulani communities and other local disputes to strengthen their influence.
