US Military Strikes Target Islamic State in Nigeria amid Rising Tensions

Fri Dec 26 2025 09:57:29 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The US has conducted significant military strikes against the Islamic State group in Nigeria, with President Trump labeling the operation a necessary response to terrorism targeting Christians. The move raises questions about the broader implications for religious communities and international relations.

President Donald Trump announced that the US has launched military strikes against the Islamic State group in north-western Nigeria. This operation, coordinated with Nigerian authorities, is framed as a response to terrorist activities that have primarily targeted Christians. Nigerian officials have emphasized the joint nature of the effort, while the broader implications for religious dynamics and the conflict's impact on both Christian and Muslim communities in Nigeria are under scrutiny.

President Donald Trump has said 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 said the US military executed numerous perfect strikes, while the US Africa Command (Africom) later reported that Thursday's attack was carried out in coordination with Nigeria in the Sokoto state.

Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar told the BBC it was a joint operation targeting terrorists, and it has nothing to do with a particular religion.

Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, saying this depended on decisions to be taken by the leadership of the two countries.

In his post on Truth Social late on Thursday, Trump said 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 tackle Islamist militant groups. He did not specify which killings he was referring to, but claims of a genocide against Nigeria's Christians have been circulating in some right-wing US circles.

Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday he was grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation.

On Friday morning, the Nigerian foreign ministry said in a statement that the country's authorities remain engaged in structured security co-operation with international partners, including the United States of America, in addressing the persistent threat of terrorist and violent extremism.

Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have wreaked havoc in north-eastern Nigeria for over a decade, with most victims being Muslims, according to analysts. In central Nigeria, clashes occur between mainly Muslim herders and farming groups, who are often Christian. Human rights groups have reported there is no evidence that Christians are disproportionately targeted.

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