US Conducts Airstrikes Against Islamic State in Nigeria Under Trump's Direction

Fri Dec 26 2025 09:22:59 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The United States has launched coordinated airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Nigeria, emphasizing a joint operation with the Nigerian government to combat terrorism in the region.

In a recent announcement, President Donald Trump revealed that the U.S. conducted successful airstrikes against the Islamic State in northwestern Nigeria, describing the perpetrators as 'terrorist scum' targeting innocent Christians. The operation, carried out in cooperation with Nigerian forces in Sokoto state, reflects a heightened commitment to counter-terrorism. Nigerian officials confirmed the joint effort but emphasized that the campaign targets terrorism indiscriminately, not specific religious groups. Trump asserted that under his leadership, the U.S. remains steadfast in combating radical Islamic terrorism.

President Donald Trump has stated that the US launched a 'powerful and deadly strike' against the Islamic State (IS) group in north-western Nigeria.

The US leader described IS as 'terrorist scum', accusing the group of 'targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians'.

Trump claimed the US military 'executed numerous perfect strikes', while the US Africa Command (Africom) later reported that Thursday's attack was coordinated with Nigeria in Sokoto state.

Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar described the operation as a 'joint operation' targeting 'terrorists', asserting it 'has nothing to do with a particular religion'.

Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, stating that future actions depend on the decisions made by the leadership of both countries.

In a post on Truth Social late Thursday, Trump reiterated that 'under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper'.

In November, Trump ordered the US military to prepare for action in Nigeria to confront Islamist militant groups, without specifying which attacks he was referring to.

Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed gratitude for Nigerian government support and cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts.

The US Department of Defense later released an unclassified video appearing to show a missile launch from a military vessel as part of the recent strikes.

On Friday morning, the Nigerian foreign ministry emphasized that the country remains engaged in structured security cooperation with international partners, including the US, to address terrorist threats.

Experts monitoring violence noted that there is no evidence supporting claims that Christians are disproportionately targeted for killings in Nigeria, as acts of violence affect followers of all faiths.

Jihadist groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province have been active in Nigeria for over a decade, claiming thousands of lives—most of whom are Muslims, according to research by ACLED.

While recognizing the ongoing security challenges, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has advocated for cooperation with international partners to protect communities from extremist violence.