The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), in coordination with Nigerian authorities, has carried out airstrikes against ISIS terrorist elements operating in Sokoto State, Northwest Nigeria, killing multiple fighters, according to U.S. military officials.
The strikes, conducted on December 25, were ordered by the President of the United States and the U.S. Secretary of War as part of ongoing efforts to degrade the operational capacity of the Islamic State group in West Africa. The targets were identified as ISIS camps within the state.
AFRICOM said its initial assessment indicates that several ISIS terrorists were neutralised during the operation, though it noted that evaluations were still ongoing.
Confirming the action, the Commander of U.S. Africa Command, Gen. Dagvin Anderson, said the operation underscores growing counterterrorism cooperation between the United States, Nigeria, and other regional partners.
“U.S. Africa Command is working with Nigerian and regional partners to increase counterterrorism cooperation efforts related to ongoing violence and threats against innocent lives,” Anderson said. “Our goal is to protect Americans and to disrupt violent extremist organizations wherever they are.”
He added that AFRICOM would continue to assess the outcome of the strikes and provide updates where necessary. However, he stressed that specific operational details would not be disclosed in order to safeguard operational security.
Nigeria has continued to face security challenges linked to terrorist and armed extremist groups, particularly in the North-West and North-East regions, prompting increased international cooperation in intelligence sharing and counterterrorism operations.
The Nigerian authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the airstrikes as of press time.