U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that American military forces had carried out what he described as a “powerful and deadly” strike against Islamic State militants operating in Nigeria, an announcement that followed weeks of sharp criticism by Trump of the Nigerian government over what he has characterized as the persecution of Christians in the country.
The president made the disclosure in a Christmas evening post on his social media platform, though he provided few details about the operation itself. Trump did not specify the location of the strike, the scale of the damage inflicted, or the number of militants targeted or killed, leaving key aspects of the mission unclear.
A U.S. Defense Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the information has not yet been publicly disclosed, confirmed that the strike was conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities. According to the official, the operation was approved by Nigeria’s government, underscoring ongoing security cooperation between Washington and Abuja as both countries work to counter extremist violence in West Africa.
Nigeria has faced persistent security challenges for more than a decade, particularly in its northern and northeastern regions, where armed groups linked to Islamic State and other extremist organizations have carried out attacks against civilians, security forces, and religious communities. The insurgency has contributed to widespread displacement, humanitarian crises, and ongoing sectarian tensions, despite repeated military efforts by Nigerian forces and their international partners to contain the violence.
