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| Image: Donald Trump by Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) |
WASHINGTON - The United States carried out airstrikes against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria on Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump said, describing the operation as a response to extremist violence and saying it was conducted at the request of Nigeria’s government.
In a post on his social media platform, Trump said U.S. forces launched “powerful and deadly” strikes against Islamic State fighters he accused of carrying out attacks against Christian communities. Trump has previously criticized Nigerian authorities over what he has described as persecution of Christians, while Nigerian officials have said violence in the country affects people of all religions.
U.S. Africa Command confirmed the operation, saying the strikes were conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities and resulted in the deaths of multiple Islamic State fighters. U.S. defense officials characterized the action as part of ongoing counterterrorism cooperation between the two countries.
Nigeria’s government welcomed the U.S. assistance but emphasized that extremist violence stems from long-standing and complex security challenges affecting multiple regions and communities. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu issued a separate statement calling for peace and reaffirming the country’s commitment to religious freedom.
The strikes represent a notable U.S. military action in West Africa and follow Trump’s earlier warnings of possible intervention if attacks on Christians continued. U.S. officials said the operation was aimed at Islamic State-linked groups, including the Islamic State West Africa Province, which has been active in parts of Nigeria.
No independent claim of responsibility has been made for the specific militant activity cited by Trump, and officials noted that violence in Nigeria involves a range of armed groups and local conflicts that have fueled instability for more than a decade.
