The United States has carried out air strikes on militant positions linked to the Islamic State (IS) group in north-western Nigeria, marking a rare American military operation in this part of the country.
According to the US military, the strikes targeted camps in Sokoto state, close to the border with Niger, an area where IS-affiliated fighters have recently attempted to establish a presence. While exact casualty figures have not been released, both US and Nigerian officials confirmed that several militants were killed.
US President Donald Trump described the Christmas Day operation as “deadly” and strongly condemned the militants, accusing them of carrying out violent attacks against civilians. Nigerian authorities, however, rejected any religious framing of the intervention.
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, told the BBC that the operation was jointly conducted by Nigeria and the United States and stressed that it was based on security concerns rather than religious motives. He explained that the strikes had been planned well in advance, using intelligence supplied by Nigerian security services, and did not rule out further action if necessary.
The US military said an initial assessment indicated multiple militant fatalities in Sokoto state. Local officials in Tangaza, one of the affected areas, reported that camps belonging to a group known locally as Lakurawa were hit. While confirming that many fighters were killed, they said the precise death toll remains unclear. Reports also indicated that some militants fled across the border into Niger following the strikes.
Nigeria has been battling various jihadist groups for years, most notably Boko Haram and IS-linked factions operating in the north-east. More recently, smaller groups such as Lakurawa have emerged in the north-west, particularly in Sokoto state. Nigerian authorities say these fighters have links to extremist networks in Mali and Niger, recruit local youth, and impose strict controls on border communities.
In a statement issued on Friday, Nigeria’s Ministry of Information confirmed that the “precision strike operations” were conducted with the explicit approval of President Bola Tinubu and with the full involvement of the Nigerian armed forces. The ministry also acknowledged that debris from munitions landed in two communities—Jabo in Sokoto state and Offa in Kwara state—but said no civilian casualties were recorded.
Residents in Jabo described seeing what appeared to be an aircraft or projectile crashing into nearby fields, though they emphasized that their community was peaceful and not affected by extremist violence.
The operation comes amid renewed scrutiny from Washington over security and religious freedom in Nigeria. The Trump administration has previously accused Abuja of failing to protect Christian communities and has designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern,” a status that can lead to sanctions.
The Nigeria strikes follow another major US military action against IS last week in Syria, where American and allied forces targeted dozens of militant sites in response to the killing of US nationals.
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