US Conducts Joint Military Strikes Against Islamic State in Nigeria; Religious Targeting Claims Disputed

The United States has confirmed it carried out coordinated military strikes against Islamic State-linked militants operating in north-western Nigeria, following an announcement by former President Donald Trump describing the operation as “powerful and deadly.”

In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said the US military had conducted what he called “numerous precise strikes” against Islamic State fighters. He accused the extremist group of brutally killing civilians, particularly Christians, and pledged that the US would not allow “radical Islamic terrorism” to gain ground.

US Africa Command (Africom) later clarified that the strikes took place on Thursday in Nigeria’s Sokoto state and were carried out in cooperation with Nigerian forces. Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, confirmed the operation was a joint effort aimed at terrorist groups, stressing that it was not directed at any religious community.

“This action has nothing to do with religion,” Tuggar told the BBC, adding that any future operations would depend on decisions made jointly by leadership in both countries.

While Trump framed the operation as a response to alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, Nigerian officials and independent monitoring groups have challenged that narrative. Nigeria is nearly evenly split between Christians and Muslims, and multiple organizations tracking violence say there is no evidence that one religious group is being targeted more than the other.

Claims of a widespread campaign against Christians in Nigeria have circulated in some US political circles in recent months. Trump previously labeled Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern,” a US State Department designation that can trigger sanctions for severe violations of religious freedom. He claimed thousands of Christians had been killed but did not provide supporting data.

However, conflict analysts note that extremist violence in Nigeria has affected communities across religious lines. Groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have terrorized parts of the country for more than a decade, particularly in the northeast, killing thousands — most of whom, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), have been Muslims.

Nigeria also faces deadly clashes in its central regions between herders, who are mostly Muslim, and farming communities, often Christian. These disputes over land and water have resulted in cycles of retaliatory violence, with casualties on all sides.

Presidential adviser Daniel Bwala previously emphasized that Nigeria remains a sovereign nation and that any foreign military involvement must be conducted in partnership with Nigerian authorities. President Bola Tinubu has repeatedly stated that Nigeria upholds religious tolerance and that insecurity affects citizens “across faiths and regions.”

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation following the strike, posting on X that he was “grateful for Nigerian support,” and ending his message with a Christmas greeting.

The Nigeria operation follows recent US military action elsewhere. Last week, the US confirmed it had launched large-scale strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria, hitting more than 70 locations with fighter jets, helicopters, and artillery, alongside allied forces.

Despite differing political narratives, Nigerian officials maintain that the fight against terrorism in the country is a security issue — not a religious one — and that protecting civilians of all backgrounds remains the priority.