In a significant military intervention, the United States has conducted air strikes targeting militants affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) group in northwestern Nigeria. The operation, which took place on Christmas Day, hit camps operated by the jihadist faction in Sokoto state, an area bordering Niger.
Details of the Christmas Day Operation
The US military confirmed the strikes, stating an initial assessment indicated multiple fatalities among the militants. US President Donald Trump described the action as "deadly" and vehemently condemned the group, labeling them "terrorist scum" for primarily targeting and killing innocent Christians. However, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar provided crucial context, telling the BBC that this was a joint operation planned "for quite some time" using intelligence provided by Nigeria.
Minister Tuggar explicitly stated the timing had "nothing to do with Christmas" and was solely about "attacking terrorists who have been killing Nigerians." He did not rule out the possibility of further strikes in the future.
Local Reactions and Conflicting Accounts
The strikes caused panic and confusion on the ground. Haruna Kallah, a resident of Jabo village, described hearing a "loud explosion which shook the whole town." Another local, Umar Jabo, initially thought a plane had crashed, a sentiment echoed by social media images showing people filming burning wreckage in a field.
However, Umar Jabo strongly denied the presence of IS fighters in Jabo, insisting the community lives peacefully with Christians. This claim was supported by local lawmaker Bashar Isah Jabo, who asserted the village had no IS members and highlighted that the impact site was less than 500 meters from a hospital, raising potential safety concerns.
Strategic Shift and Regional Context
This operation marks a notable geographical shift. For over a decade, Nigeria's fight against jihadist groups like Boko Haram and its IS-linked factions has been concentrated in the northeast, hundreds of miles from Sokoto.
Conflict analyst Bulama Bukati suggested the strikes likely targeted a relatively new IS-aligned splinter group, known locally as Lakurawa. This faction, originating in the Sahel, has reportedly been establishing camps in Sokoto and neighboring Kebbi state over the past 18-24 months, imposing their laws and launching attacks. This contrasts with the larger Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which operates in the northeast.
The Trump administration has previously been critical of Nigeria's handling of religious violence, accusing the government of failing to protect Christians and even using the term "genocide." Nigeria was also designated a "country of particular concern" regarding religious freedom.
In the aftermath, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed gratitude for "Nigerian government support & cooperation," while the Nigerian foreign ministry affirmed its ongoing security cooperation with international partners, including the US, to combat terrorism. This incident represents the second major US strike against IS in recent weeks, following a large-scale operation in Syria.
