US carries out strike on Islamic State targets in northwest Nigeria
The United States carried out an air strike against Islamic State militants in northwestern Nigeria at the request of the Nigerian government, targeting camps in Sokoto State as part of ongoing security cooperation, a Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
US President Donald Trump said the operation was ordered by him and carried out by US forces in coordination with Nigerian authorities. The US Africa Command confirmed that multiple militants were killed in the strike, which it said was based on shared intelligence and conducted with Nigeria’s consent.
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar described the action as a joint operation against terrorist groups, stressing that it was not aimed at any religious community. He said the planning had been underway for some time and relied on intelligence provided by Nigeria, adding that further actions would depend on decisions by both governments.
Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry said the strike was part of broader security cooperation with the United States, including intelligence sharing and strategic coordination to counter militant groups operating in the country’s northwest.
US officials said the attack targeted known Islamic State camps. A video released by the Pentagon showed a projectile launched from a US warship. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked Nigeria for its cooperation and indicated that additional operations could follow.
The strike comes amid heightened US attention to Nigeria’s security situation. Nigerian authorities have repeatedly said that armed groups target both Muslims and Christians and that the violence reflects a complex insurgency rather than religious persecution. Nigeria has nevertheless agreed to deepen cooperation with Washington to strengthen its counterterrorism capabilities.
Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country, with Muslims largely concentrated in the north and Christians in the south. Separately, police said a suspected suicide bombing at a mosque in the northeast earlier on Thursday killed at least five people and wounded dozens, underscoring ongoing security challenges in another region affected by Islamist insurgents.
In a Christmas message, President Bola Tinubu called for peace and reaffirmed his commitment to protecting all Nigerians, regardless of religious belief, and to safeguarding religious freedom nationwide.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that a bomb exploded during evening prayers at a mosque in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri, killing five people in what police described as a suspected suicide attack.