President Donald Trump said the United States carried out a “powerful and deadly strike” against the Islamic State (IS) group in north-western Nigeria. He described IS as “terrorist scum” and accused the group of “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians”.
Trump Says US Carried Out “Perfect Strikes”
According to Trump, the US military “executed numerous perfect strikes” against the militant group. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also confirmed the action, saying he was “grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
Joint Operation With Nigeria in Sokoto
The US Africa Command later said the strikes were carried out in coordination with Nigeria in Sokoto state. Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar told the BBC it was a “joint operation”. He added that more strikes could take place depending on “decisions to be taken by the leadership of the two countries”.
Trump Had Ordered Military Preparations Earlier
In November, Trump had instructed the US military to prepare for possible action in Nigeria to counter Islamist militant groups. In a post on Truth Social late on Thursday, he said that “under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper”.
Claims About Attacks on Christians Questioned
Trump has not clearly stated which killings he was referring to in his earlier warnings about Nigeria. In recent months, claims of a genocide against Christians have been spreading in some right-wing US circles. However, groups that monitor violence say there is no evidence that Christians are being killed more than Muslims in Nigeria, which has a nearly equal Christian and Muslim population.
Nigerian Government Stresses Joint Action
An adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu told the BBC earlier that any military action against jihadist groups should be done together. Daniel Bwala said Nigeria would welcome US support but stressed that it is a “sovereign” nation. He also said the militants were not targeting one religion and had killed people of all faiths, or none.
President Tinubu on Religious Tolerance
President Tinubu has said Nigeria remains religiously tolerant and that security challenges affect people “across faiths and regions”.
Nigeria Declared “Country of Particular Concern”
Trump previously said he had declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over what he called an “existential threat” to its Christian population. He claimed “thousands” had been killed but did not provide evidence. This US State Department label allows sanctions against countries accused of “severe violations of religious freedom”. Tinubu later said his government would work with the US and global partners to protect people of all religions.
Jihadist Violence in Nigeria
Militant groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have caused widespread violence in north-eastern Nigeria for over a decade, killing thousands. However, according to Acled, most of those killed have been Muslims. In central Nigeria, clashes between mostly Muslim herders and largely Christian farmers over land and water are also common. These cycles of violence have killed many on both sides, and human rights groups say Christians have not been targeted more than others.
US Also Targets IS in Syria
Last week, the US said it carried out a “massive strike” against IS in Syria. The US Central Command said fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery hit “more than 70 targets at multiple locations across central Syria”, with aircraft from Jordan also involved.
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