The United States has carried out a strike against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria at the request of the Nigerian government, reports RTE.
President Donald Trump and the US military confirmed the attack, stating that the group had been targeting Christians in the region.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!” Mr Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, reports RTE.
The US military’s Africa Command confirmed that the strike took place in Sokoto state in coordination with Nigerian authorities, resulting in the deaths of multiple militants.
Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar told the BBC that the strike was part of a “joint operation” aimed at “terrorists” and emphasized that it “has nothing to do with a particular religion,” reports RTE.
Without specifically naming ISIS, Mr Tuggar explained that the operation had been in the works “for quite some time” and relied on intelligence provided by Nigeria.
He did not rule out the possibility of further strikes, noting that it would depend on “decisions to be taken by the leadership of the two countries,” reports RTE.
This strike follows warnings from President Trump, who, two months earlier, had stated that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria. He had also threatened military action over what he described as Nigeria’s failure to curb violence targeting Christian communities.
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Reports indicate that the US has been conducting intelligence-gathering flights over large areas of Nigeria since late November, reports RTE.
Nigeria’s foreign ministry confirmed that the strike was part of ongoing security cooperation with the United States, which involves intelligence sharing and strategic coordination to target militant groups.
“This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the North West,” the ministry wrote on social media, reports RTE.
A video released by the Pentagon showed at least one projectile launched from a warship.
A US defense official confirmed that the strike targeted multiple militants at known ISIS camps, reports RTE.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government for its cooperation and support, adding: “More to come..,” reports RTE.
Nigeria’s government has stated that both Muslims and Christians are targeted by armed groups and that US claims of Christian persecution do not fully capture the complex security situation. The Nigerian government also said these claims overlook its efforts to safeguard religious freedom.
Despite these differences, Nigeria has agreed to continue working with the US to strengthen its forces against militant groups, reports RTE.
The country is divided between a predominantly Muslim north and a predominantly Christian south.
In a separate incident, a suspected suicide bomber killed at least five people and injured 35 at a mosque in Nigeria’s northeast, another area affected by Islamist insurgents, reports RTE.
In his Christmas message on social media, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu called for peace in the country, particularly between individuals of different religious beliefs.
He also pledged, “I stand committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect Christians, Muslims, and all Nigerians from violence,” reports RTE.
President Trump issued his statement on the strike while at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, where he has been spending the holiday.
Last week, the US military launched separate large-scale strikes against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria, following Trump’s vow to retaliate after a suspected Islamic State attack on American personnel in the country, reports RTE.
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