US Department of War Hits ISIS, ISWAP Camps in Northwest Nigeria
The global counterterrorism landscape saw a sharp escalation on Christmas night as the U.S. Department of War carried out coordinated precision strikes against ISIS and its regional affiliate, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), in Northwest Nigeria. The operation, authorized directly by President Donald Trump in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief, targeted key militant encampments in Sokoto State. Described by the White House as a “powerful and deadly” response to ongoing attacks on religious communities, the strikes represent the most consequential direct U.S. military action conducted on Nigerian soil to date.
According to defense officials, the operation employed sophisticated naval and aerial capabilities to dismantle insurgent infrastructure. More than a dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles were reportedly launched from a U.S. Navy vessel stationed in the Gulf of Guinea, striking two major terrorist hubs near the Nigeria–Niger border. The strikes followed weeks of coordinated intelligence gathering, including high-altitude surveillance flights that began in late November, and were conducted in close cooperation with the Nigerian military. U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed that the mission neutralized multiple high-value targets and eliminated dozens of militants who had been exploiting the region’s rugged terrain to conduct cross-border raids, kidnappings, and attacks.
Beyond its military execution, the operation carries notable diplomatic weight. President Trump framed the strikes as the fulfillment of earlier warnings over what he described as the persecution of Christian communities in the region, signaling a clear shift away from U.S. restraint in the face of religiously motivated violence. Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged the precision strikes and underscored the importance of the bilateral security partnership, while carefully presenting the action as part of a broader campaign against violent extremism. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa emphasized that the cooperation was grounded in “mutual respect for sovereignty” and a shared objective of regional stability.
As assessments continue in the aftermath of the Sokoto operation, attention is now turning to the broader implications of Washington’s increasingly assertive posture in West Africa. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, confirming the strikes, suggested that further actions may follow, stating that there is “more to come” in the campaign to dismantle extremist networks. For Nigeria, the joint operation offers a significant tactical advantage against insurgents who have increasingly aligned with local bandit groups to undermine security in the North. At the same time, international observers are closely monitoring what appears to be a strategic shift by the United States from a predominantly advisory role to a more direct and kinetic approach across the Sahara and Sahel regions.
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