Trump announces destruction of ISIS camps in Nigeria by airstrikes

In a press statement published on Friday, US President Donald Trump announced that US forces had successfully conducted devastating airstrikes that completely destroyed ISIS terrorist camps in Nigeria. This operation is part of an escalation of US efforts to combat terrorism in West Africa and protect persecuted religious minorities.

Details of the military “Christmas gift”

In an exclusive interview with Politico, Trump revealed details of the operation, noting that the timing caught the terrorist organization by surprise. Speaking in his characteristic style, the US president said, “They had been planning hostile actions, but I said, ‘No, let’s give them a Christmas present.’” He added, emphasizing the effectiveness of the attack, “They never expected it, but we hit them with tremendous force, and all their camps were completely destroyed.”.

For his part, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed via the “X” platform (formerly Twitter) the Pentagon’s full readiness to continue operations in the region, expressing his deep gratitude for “the Nigerian government’s support and close cooperation,” indicating high-level intelligence and military coordination between Washington and Abuja prior to the raids.

Historical context: ISIS in West Africa

To understand the significance of these strikes, one must consider the complex security context in Nigeria. The region is home to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a faction that originally broke away from the Boko Haram extremist group in 2016. This group has become the dominant and most militarily sophisticated force in the Lake Chad Basin, carrying out persistent and deadly attacks against military bases and civilians, with a particular focus on targeting Christian communities in the north of the country—a factor Trump cited as a key motivation for intervention.

Strategic importance and expected impact

This operation carries profound strategic implications that go beyond simply destroying physical targets:

• On the domestic front, these strikes represent vital support for the Nigerian military, which faces significant challenges in containing the spread of terrorism in Borno State and surrounding areas. The destruction of the camps is expected to cripple the organization's logistical and command capabilities for a period, giving local forces an opportunity to regain control on the ground.
• On a regional level: The United States is sending a strong message to armed groups in the Sahel and Sahara region, that Washington still retains deterrence and rapid intervention capabilities, even without a large ground force, by relying on precision airstrikes and drones.
• On the international level: The operation reflects the current US administration’s commitment to a “strength through peace” approach, where excessive and sudden military force is used to deter adversaries, with a focus on protecting religious freedoms as a cornerstone of US foreign policy.

Initial analyses indicate that this strike may lead to a temporary decrease in the pace of terrorist operations in Nigeria, but experts warn of the possibility that the organization may attempt to launch retaliatory attacks, which calls for raising the security alert level in the region during the coming period.