Africa Command confirms US strike ISIS in northwest Nigeria
WASHINGTON | Dec. 25, 2025 — The United States carried out an airstrike targeting Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria, President Donald Trump said in a Christmas Day statement, describing the operation as a response to extremist attacks he said were aimed largely at Christian communities.
Trump said the strike was ordered under his authority as commander in chief and targeted Islamic State militants he accused of “viciously killing” civilians. He warned that further attacks would be met with additional U.S. military action.
U.S. Africa Command later confirmed that American forces conducted the strike. Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry also acknowledged the operation, describing it as part of ongoing security cooperation between Washington and Abuja that includes intelligence sharing and coordination, according to reports from The Associated Press and Reuters.
The strike was reported to have hit Islamic State camps or infrastructure in Sokoto state, in Nigeria’s northwest. Officials did not release an exact casualty count, but U.S. Africa Command said multiple militants were killed.
Trump announced the operation on his Truth Social platform, calling it a “powerful and deadly” strike and reiterating his administration’s stance against extremist groups. He said the United States would not allow terrorist organizations to continue attacking civilians with impunity.
Africa Command said the operation was carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities. Reuters reported that an earlier Africa Command social media post referenced a Nigerian request for assistance but was later removed, underscoring that some operational details were still being clarified publicly.
Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry, in comments reported by Associated Press (AP), framed the strike as consistent with international law and Nigeria’s sovereignty, while emphasizing broader cooperation against violent extremist organizations operating in the region.
Nigeria has endured years of deadly violence linked to insurgent and extremist groups, including Islamic State’s West Africa Province and Boko Haram, as well as widespread banditry and communal conflicts that have devastated communities across several regions.
While Trump’s statement centered on attacks against Christians, Nigerian authorities have repeatedly cautioned that extremist violence has affected communities across religious and ethnic lines. Reuters reported that Nigerian officials emphasized victims include both Muslims and Christians, and that the drivers of violence often include criminal activity, local conflicts, and weak state presence, not solely ideology or religion.
U.S. officials have continued to describe Islamic State networks in Africa as a persistent security threat, even as Washington’s military footprint on the continent has shifted toward intelligence support, training, and targeted counterterrorism operations rather than large-scale troop deployments.
What is confirmed and what remains unclear
The social media images circulating online reflect language consistent with Trump’s Christmas Day announcement, including his warning that further action could follow if attacks continue.
Independent reporting confirms that the United States carried out a strike in northwest Nigeria, that the target was Islamic State militants, that U.S. Africa Command confirmed the operation, and that Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry acknowledged security cooperation.
Other claims circulating online, including sweeping assertions about the scale of attacks or historical comparisons, are attributable to Trump’s statement and have not been independently verified by U.S. or Nigerian authorities.
Neither U.S. Africa Command nor Nigerian officials have released strike imagery, precise target coordinates, or a comprehensive casualty assessment. Both AP and Reuters described the outcome in general terms, noting that multiple militants were killed without providing specific figures.
It also remains unclear whether additional strikes occurred beyond the operation confirmed in Sokoto state, as public statements referenced “strikes” broadly while official confirmations focused on a single reported action.
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