By Paramita Datta
The United States confirmed it carried out an airstrike on Islamic State fighters in northwest Nigeria after the Nigerian government asked for help, saying the group had been attacking Christians in the area. The blast resulted in the deaths of at least five individuals and left over 30 others with severe injuries. The Nigerian military stated that the suicide bombing in Borno, a region experiencing a jihadist insurgency for almost two decades, was executed by Boko Haram.
President Donald Trump stated that acting on his directives as Commander in Chief, the United States executed a significant military strike against ISIS in northwest Nigeria.
Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf MaitamaTuggar stated that the attacks had been in preparation for an extended period and were executed based on intelligence provided by Nigeria. He mentioned that additional strikes might still take place.
He clarified that the timing of the attacks had no connection to Christmas. He also stated that these could occur on any day and were intended to target terrorists responsible for killing Nigerians. For numerous years the Nigerian government has been combating various jihadist organizations, like Boko Haram and affiliates connected to IS. The majority of this conflict has occurred in the country’s north-east region which is distant from Sokoto state.
An eyewitness, Umar Jabo informed BBC News that the assault occurred late on Thursday night close to Jabo village. He stated that people initially believed it was an aircraft that had crashed into adjacent fields. Images posted on social media corroborate his story. The pictures depicted local residents in a field documenting the remnants of the fire following the assault. Jabo stated that no fighters from IS were killed and mentioned that the residents coexist harmoniously.
Following the airstrike, a consultant to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu informed that the assailants had aimed at individuals from various faiths. The adviser additionally stated that any military action by the U.S. should occur in conjunction with Nigeria.
Organizations monitoring violence reported that there was no evidence indicating that Christians were being killed at a higher rate than Muslims in Nigeria. They stated that the nation is nearly evenly split between the two faiths.
In a social media post shared late on Christmas Day, Trump affirmed the strikes and stated he wouldn’t permit radical Islamic terrorism to persist. U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed gratitude for the assistance and collaboration of the Nigerian government. He concluded his message by wishing all a “Merry Christmas” on X.