FULL LIST: Five States Likely To Be Bombed By US

As the United States of America has officially deployed forces to Nigeria to combat the ongoing terrorist threats, there are concerns that the ramifications of this action may extend to more than five states across the nation.

This military intervention comes in response to the alarming rise of militants associated with the Islamic State group (IS), who have been making efforts to expand their influence in northwestern Nigeria.

The U.S. has launched targeted military strikes against these extremist factions, aiming to dismantle their operations and prevent them from establishing a stronghold in the region.

The potential for escalated conflict raises questions about the stability and security of multiple states as they confront the fallout from this international effort to combat terrorism.

The strikes targeted camps operated by the group in Sokoto State, which is located along Nigeria’s border with Niger.

According to the US military, an initial assessment indicated that there were “multiple” fatalities resulting from these operations.

President Donald Trump characterized the strikes conducted on Christmas Day as “powerful and deadly,” referring to the group as “terrorist scum.” He noted that the militants have been “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians.”

In response, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar stated in an interview with the BBC that the operation was a collaborative effort and emphasized that it was “nothing to do with a particular religion.”

Tuggar said the strikes had been planned “for quite some time” and had used intelligence information provided by Nigeria. He also did not rule out further strikes.

Referencing the timing of the strikes, he said they did not have “anything to do with Christmas, it could be any other day – it is to do with attacking terrorists who have been killing Nigerians”.

The Nigerian government has for several years been fighting a complex network of jihadist groups, which includes Boko Haram and IS-linked splinter groups, but largely in the north-east of the country, hundreds of miles away from Sokoto state.

Below are the five states likely to be bombed by the United States of America soldiers.

1. Benue
2. Niger
3. Kwara
4. Kebbi
5. Borno

The Trump administration has previously accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christians from jihadist attacks and has claimed a “genocide” is being perpetrated.

Trump has labelled Nigeria a “country of particular concern”, a designation used by the US state department that provides for sanctions against countries “engaged in severe violations of religious freedom”.

The US military was ordered to prepare to intervene in Nigeria in November.