US launches strikes against Islamic State in Nigeria

Trump tells Politico he ordered the strikes as "a Christmas present" - contradicting a statement by Nigerian officials.

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Trump told Politico he ordered the 25 December strikes as "a Christmas present" - contradicting a statement by Nigerian officials.

Camps run by the group in Sokoto state were hit near the border with Niger, the US military said. Casualty numbers are unclear, but both US and Nigerian officials say militants were killed.

Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar told the BBC it was a "joint operation" and had "nothing to do with a particular religion".

Tuggar said the strikes had been planned "for quite some time" using intelligence provided by Nigeria. He did not rule out further strikes.