The US president had previously warned that he would take aggressive action in Nigeria unless the persecution of Christians ceased.
President Donald Trump has announced that the US carried out airstrikes against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorists in Nigeria on Christmas Day, accusing the militants of “brutally killing” Christians.
In a statement on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump stated that the lethal attack was directed at “the despicable ISIS terrorists in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and brutally killing, mainly, innocent Christians to an extent not witnessed for many years, and even centuries!”
“I had previously warned these terrorists that if they didn’t stop the massacre of Christians, they would face severe consequences… Under my leadership, our country will not allow radical Islamic terrorism to thrive. May God bless our military, and Merry Christmas to all, including the deceased terrorists,” he added.
The US Africa Command said that the strikes, which targeted militants in Sokoto State, were conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed appreciation to the Nigerian government for its “support and cooperation”, promising that “more [attacks] are on the way”. However, US officials declined to disclose the number of people killed in the strikes.
Trump has recently increased pressure on Nigeria regarding religious violence, which encompasses the killings and kidnappings of Christian worshipers. In November, he threatened to enter Nigeria “with full force” if the government failed to halt the “slaughter” of Christians. Washington also imposed visa restrictions on those allegedly involved in religious freedom violations and designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” for religious persecution.
Nigeria has been facing a long – standing insurgency by Islamist militants since 2009, when Boko Haram launched its campaign to establish an Islamic state. The group pledged loyalty to ISIS in 2015 before splitting the following year into two rival factions: Boko Haram and the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), which focuses its attacks on Christians and those considered “infidels.” More than 50,000 Christians have been killed in religious violence in Nigeria since 2009.