US Launches Airstrikes on IS-Linked Militants in Nigeria

The United States has carried out airstrikes against militants linked to the Islamic State group in northwestern Nigeria, targeting camps in Sokoto State near the border with Niger.

The strikes, conducted late Thursday, were described by the US military as precision attacks on terrorist targets. While casualty figures were not confirmed, US and Nigerian officials said multiple militants were killed. An initial US military assessment indicated “multiple” fatalities.

US President Donald Trump confirmed the strikes on Christmas Day, calling them “deadly” and vowing not to allow “radical Islamic terrorism to prosper.” Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar said the operation was jointly planned with Nigeria using local intelligence and stressed that it was not connected to Christmas or motivated by religion. He did not rule out further strikes.

Local officials said the attacks hit camps operated by Lakurawa, a smaller IS-linked group that has sought to establish a foothold in northwestern Nigeria in recent years. The chairman of Tangaza local government area, Isa Salihu Bashir, said several camps were struck and many fighters killed, though he could not confirm a death toll. Reports from across the Niger border indicated militants were fleeing the area.

Nigeria has been battling jihadist groups for more than a decade, mainly in the northeast, but militant activity has increasingly spread to the northwest. Authorities said the strikes were part of ongoing security cooperation between Nigeria and international partners, including the United States.

The Nigeria operation follows a separate US strike last week targeting Islamic State positions in Syria, marking the second major US action against the group in recent weeks.