Nigeria/ US conducts airstrikes on IS-linked militants in northwest Nigeria
The United States has carried out strikes against Islamic State (IS) affiliates in Nigeria’s northwestern Sokoto state, marking a significant expansion in targeting jihadists beyond the country’s long-term conflict zone in the northeast.
President Donald Trump described the Christmas Day operation as “powerful and deadly,” asserting it targeted “terrorist scum” killing innocent Christians. However, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar stated the timing was coincidental, emphasizing the action resulted from prolonged planning and shared intelligence.
Local eyewitness Umar Jabo reported an explosion near Jabo village but denied the presence of IS fighters, highlighting community peace. This contrasts with US assessments of “multiple” militant fatalities.
The strikes occur amid heightened US-Nigeria tensions over religious violence. The Trump administration has designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern,” accusing it of failing to prevent a “genocide” against Christians—a claim disputed by Abuja.
While Nigeria primarily battles Boko Haram and its factions in the northeast, this operation signals both growing IS influence in new regions and deepened, if complex, US security involvement.
