US Africa Command speaks on strike against ISIS terrorists in Nigeria

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has confirmed that it carried out targeted airstrike against ISIS terrorist camps in Sokoto State, northwestern Nigeria.

AFRICOM in a statement early Friday said the operation was carried out at the direction of the President of the United States and the Secretary of War, and in close coordination with Nigerian authorities.

AFRICOM said it will continue to assess the results of the strike.

Gen. Dagvin Anderson, Commander of U.S. Africa Command was quoted in the statement as saying: “U.S. Africa Command is working with Nigerian and regional partners to increase counterterrorism cooperation efforts related to on-going violence and threats against innocent lives. Our goal is to protect Americans and to disrupt violent extremist organizations wherever they are.”

President Donald Trump had earlier confirmed the strike by U.S forces against Islamic State terrorists group in North West Nigeria.

Trump in a post on his truth social platform claimed the U.S forces executed multiple perfect strikes, killing many terrorists.

“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing. Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper,” Trump said in the post on his social media handle.

Trump said the strikes were aimed at terrorists who are ‘killing Christians in Nigeria at levels not seen for many years, even centuries’.

Trump warned that many more of the terrorists will be killed if their slaughter of Christians continue.

On its part, the US AFRICOM had in an earlier in a post on its X handle said “AFRICOM conducted a strike at the request of Nigerian authorities in Sokoto State killing multiple ISIS terrorists.

“Lethal strikes against ISIS demonstrate the strength of our military and our commitment to eliminating terrorist threats against Americans at home and abroad.

The airstrikes followed reports on Monday the U.S. had been conducting intelligence-gathering flights over large parts of Nigeria since late November.

The intelligence gathering followed claims by Trump that Christian in Nigeria are facing “existential threat” as a result of attacks by Islamic terrorists.

Trump had threatened to use U.S forces to protect Christians in Nigeria of the Nigerian government failed to stop violence allegedly targeting Christian communities.