The United States has carried out airstrikes against Islamic State (IS)-linked militants in north-west Nigeria, targeting camps in Sokoto state near the Niger border. US President Donald Trump described the 25 December strikes as a “Christmas present,” a claim Nigerian officials rejected.
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar said the operation was jointly planned and executed with Nigerian intelligence support and had no religious motive. Both US and Nigerian authorities confirmed militants were killed, though exact casualty figures remain unclear.
Local officials said the strikes hit camps run by Lakurawa, a smaller IS-linked group attempting to establish a foothold in north-west Nigeria. Witnesses reported seeing aircraft and explosions, though Nigeria’s government said no civilians were harmed, despite debris landing in two communities.
The US has previously accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians and designated it a “country of particular concern” over religious freedom—claims Nigerian officials dispute, noting most victims of jihadist violence are Muslims.
The strikes come amid growing US military action against IS globally and follow a major US-led operation in Syria earlier this month. Nigerian authorities say further strikes are possible as they continue efforts to curb jihadist expansion beyond the country’s north-east.
