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U.S. Strikes ISIS Sites in Nigeria’s Sokoto State After Trump’s Christmas Order

Nigerian authorities say the coordinated operation had explicit approval and reported no civilian deaths.

Overview

  • U.S. Africa Command said initial assessments indicate multiple ISIS militants were killed, with independent verification and exact casualty figures still unclear.
  • Officials described Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from a Navy vessel and 16 GPS‑guided munitions from Reaper drones hitting camps in the Bauni forest of the Tangaza area.
  • Nigeria’s government confirmed presidential authorization and participation by its armed forces, while the foreign minister emphasized the action targeted terrorists rather than any religion.
  • Debris linked to the strikes was recovered in Jabo in Sokoto and in Offa in Kwara, where authorities reported damage but no civilian casualties, though a local Muslim group alleged collateral harm.
  • President Trump framed the operation as protecting Christians, a characterization questioned by analysts who note Sokoto’s largely Muslim population and point to the likely target as the lesser‑known Lakurawa faction; U.S. officials signal further operations with ISR flights resuming.