Reuters- The United States has launched an airstrike against Daesh militants in northwest Nigeria at the request of the Nigerian government, US President Donald Trump and the US military confirmed on Thursday. Washington said the group had been targeting Christian communities in the region.
In a post on Truth Social, President Trump said the strike was ordered under his authority as commander in chief and described it as a “powerful and deadly” operation against Daesh fighters. He claimed the militants had been “viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians” at levels not seen for centuries.
The US military’s Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the strike was conducted in Sokoto state and resulted in the deaths of multiple Daesh militants. The operation was carried out at the request of Nigerian authorities as part of ongoing security cooperation between the two countries. The strike follows repeated warnings by Trump since late October that Christianity faces what he has called an “existential threat” in Nigeria. He has previously threatened military intervention over what he described as the Nigerian government’s failure to curb violence against Christian communities.
Earlier this week, Reuters reported that the US had been conducting intelligence-gathering flights over large areas of Nigeria since late November. Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the airstrikes, saying they were part of sustained collaboration with the United States involving intelligence sharing and strategic coordination. “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.
The Pentagon released a video showing at least one projectile being launched from a US warship. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation and support, adding in a post on X: “More to come…”
Nigeria’s government has repeatedly said that armed groups in the country target both Muslims and Christians, arguing that US claims of Christian persecution oversimplify a complex security situation and overlook efforts to protect religious freedom. Despite this, Abuja has agreed to work closely with Washington to strengthen its fight against militant groups.
Nigeria’s population is roughly divided between Muslims, who mainly live in the north, and Christians, who are largely concentrated in the south. Violence linked to militancy has affected several regions of the country.
Earlier on Thursday, police said a suspected suicide bomber killed at least five people and injured 35 others in northeast Nigeria, another area long plagued by militant attacks. In a Christmas message posted on X, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu called for peace, particularly among people of different religious beliefs. He said he remained committed to protecting Christians, Muslims and all Nigerians from violence and to upholding religious freedom nationwide. Trump announced the Nigeria strike on Christmas Day while staying at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. The US military had also launched large-scale strikes last week against dozens of Daesh targets in Syria, following a suspected attack on US personnel there.
