President Donald Trump announced late Thursday that the United States military has launched “powerful and deadly” airstrikes against ISIS militants in northwest Nigeria.
The operation, conducted on Christmas Day, targeted extremist cells in Sokoto State also known as the ISIS-Sahel Province (ISSP) camps in Sokoto State. President Trump stated the strikes were a direct response to the “vicious killing” of Christians in the region. U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed the strikes were carried out at the direction of the President and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, reporting that “multiple ISIS terrorists” were killed.
In a post on Truth Social, President Trump said, “I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.” He added that the U.S. would not allow “Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth echoed the sentiment on X, stating, “The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight on Christmas. More to come.”
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged the strikes, describing them as “precision hits on terrorist targets.” However, the Ministry maintained that extremist violence in Nigeria affects “both Christians and Muslims” and remains an affront to the nation’s values of multi-faith coexistence.
This military action follows weeks of escalating tension. In November 2025, the Trump administration designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” regarding religious freedom. The President had previously threatened military intervention if the Nigerian government failed to stop attacks on Christian communities.
While the Nigerian government welcomed the assistance against insurgents, officials have resisted the narrative of a “Christian genocide,” pointing to the high number of Muslim victims in the north. This operation marks a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, moving from advisory support to direct combat engagement on Nigerian soil.
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The situation remains fluid. AFRICOM is currently conducting a post-strike assessment to verify the total number of militants neutralized.
