US hits ISWAP in Nigeria with airstrikes. American forces from AFRICOM conducted strikes in northwest Nigeria's Sokoto state, targeting ISWAP fighters, according to a command statement. President Donald Trump claimed personal responsibility on Truth Social, calling the Christmas Day operation a powerful strike against terrorists he accused of killing innocent Christians. Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar clarified the action was a joint operation with his country's forces, denying any religious motive. Local residents in areas like Jabo town expressed surprise, while others reported strikes on villages named Warriya and Alkassim, known for militant camps.
The legal justification for the move is getting some side-eye. Presidents have the power to order military ops, but big offensives often need Congress to sign off under old war powers rules. The US is likely leaning on the right to self-defense under international law to justify this, a move they used recently for other strikes. They would need to report it to the UN Security Council for that to fly. This action follows increased threats from the Trump administration toward Nigeria, which was labeled a country of particular concern over claims of Christian persecution months prior. Pentagon planners were reportedly told to draft options for military action in Nigeria recently.
These strikes happen amid a brutal backdrop of mass abductions in the country, affecting both Muslim and Christian communities. Hundreds of pupils and students were taken in a wave of attacks outside of Sokoto state. The Nigerian minister hinted that planning for these airstrikes took a long time and suggested more could be coming.
The legal justification for the move is getting some side-eye. Presidents have the power to order military ops, but big offensives often need Congress to sign off under old war powers rules. The US is likely leaning on the right to self-defense under international law to justify this, a move they used recently for other strikes. They would need to report it to the UN Security Council for that to fly. This action follows increased threats from the Trump administration toward Nigeria, which was labeled a country of particular concern over claims of Christian persecution months prior. Pentagon planners were reportedly told to draft options for military action in Nigeria recently.
These strikes happen amid a brutal backdrop of mass abductions in the country, affecting both Muslim and Christian communities. Hundreds of pupils and students were taken in a wave of attacks outside of Sokoto state. The Nigerian minister hinted that planning for these airstrikes took a long time and suggested more could be coming.
