U.S. strikes target IS‑linked militants in Nigeria

By Nathan Morley

The United States carried out airstrikes on Islamic State‑linked militants in northwest Nigeria, expanding its counterterrorism reach into a region where extremists have been trying to gain ground.

Nigeria has battled jihadist groups for more than a decade, primarily in the northeast, where Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province operate. 

In recent years, however, a smaller faction known locally as Lakurawa has attempted to establish camps in Sokoto state, near the border with Niger.

U.S. Africa Command said the strikes hit several of the group’s sites. 

An initial assessment indicated multiple militants were killed, though casualty figures remain unclear. 

Nigerian officials confirmed the operation and said it was conducted with the explicit approval of President Bola Tinubu and with full involvement of Nigeria’s armed forces.

President Donald Trump called the Christmas Day strikes “deadly” and accused the militants of targeting Christians. He said the U.S. would not allow “Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper.”

Jihadist violence has devastated northeastern Nigeria for years, killing thousands.