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The United States has carried out a military strike against Islamic State (IS) militants in northwest Nigeria at the request of the Nigerian government, U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.S. military said on Thursday.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the strike targeted IS fighters who he claimed had been attacking Christian communities in the region.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS terrorist scum in northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians,” Trump wrote.
According to a report by Reuters, the U.S. military’s Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed the operation, saying the strike was carried out in Sokoto State in coordination with Nigerian authorities and resulted in the deaths of multiple IS militants.
AFRICOM initially stated on X that the operation had been conducted at the request of Nigerian authorities, although that post was later removed. A subsequent statement confirmed coordination with Nigeria but did not elaborate on the reason for the deletion.
The strike follows Trump’s warnings in late October that Christianity faces what he described as an “existential threat” in Nigeria.
At the time, he threatened possible U.S. military intervention if Nigerian authorities failed to curb violence against Christian communities.
Nigeria has long battled multiple armed groups, including Islamic State affiliates and Boko Haram factions, particularly in its northern regions, where violence has displaced millions and killed tens of thousands over the past decade.
On Monday, Reuters reported that the United States had been conducting intelligence-gathering flights over large parts of Nigeria since late November, citing sources familiar with the operations.
Neither the Nigerian government nor the Nigerian military immediately commented on the strike.
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