The United States says it has carried out a military strike against Islamic State (IS) militants in Northwest Nigeria, following a request from the Nigerian government, according to Reuters.
It was reported that the US President Donald Trump announced the strike on Christmas Day, describing it as a “powerful and deadly” operation against IS fighters operating in the region.
Trump claimed the militants had been targeting civilians, particularly Christians.
The US military’s Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the strike was conducted in Sokoto State in coordination with Nigerian authorities and resulted in the deaths of several IS militants, Reuters said.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, told the British Broadcasting Corporation that the action was a “joint operation” aimed at terrorists and “has nothing to do with a particular religion,” according to Reuters.
He added that the operation had been planned for some time and was based on intelligence provided by Nigeria.
Reuters quoted Tuggar as saying Nigeria has not ruled out further joint strikes, noting that any future action would depend on decisions by the leadership of both countries.
In a statement cited by Reuters, Nigeria’s foreign ministry said the strike formed part of ongoing security cooperation with the United States, involving intelligence sharing and strategic coordination to target militant groups.
The ministry said the cooperation had led to “precision hits on terrorist targets” in the country’s northwest.
Video released by the Pentagon showed a projectile launched from a US military vessel, while a US defence official told Reuters that the strike targeted multiple militants at known IS camps.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation, adding: “More to come.”
The strike comes after President Trump, in recent months, warned that Christianity faced an “existential threat” in Nigeria and threatened possible military intervention over violence affecting Christian communities.
Nigerian authorities, however, maintain that armed groups attack both Muslims and Christians and that the security situation is complex.
President Bola Tinubu, in a Christmas message, has called for peace and tolerance among Nigerians of different religious beliefs, pledging to protect Christians, Muslims and all citizens from violence.
It has been reported here in recent past that the United States had recently conducted intelligence-gathering flights over parts of Nigeria as part of expanded security cooperation between the two countries.