President Donald Trump mentioned that he ordered “quite a few” strikes on alleged terror targets in northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day.
In a submit on Fact Social on Thursday night, the president wrote that “highly effective and lethal” strikes had been directed at Islamic State terrorists whom he accused of focusing on and killing Christians within the nation.
Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth shared Trump’s submit on his personal X account, including that he was “grateful for Nigerian authorities assist & cooperation.”
A video posted by the Pentagon confirmed a minimum of one projectile launched from a warship. A U.S. protection official mentioned the strike focused a number of militants at recognized ISIS camps.
Nigeria’s authorities, in addition to specialists and students, have beforehand mentioned that Trump’s portrayal of the safety state of affairs within the West African nation is deceptive, as members of all faiths have suffered by the hands of Islamist extremists and different teams. On Wednesday night time, a blast at a mosque in northeast Nigeria killed 5 individuals and injured 35.
The nation’s inhabitants is essentially cut up between Muslims dwelling primarily within the north and Christians within the south.
Early Friday, a spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of International Affairs mentioned the strikes had been carried out as a part of ongoing safety cooperation with the US, involving intelligence sharing and strategic coordination to focus on militant teams.
“The Ministry of International Affairs … confirms that Nigerian authorities stay engaged in structured safety cooperation with worldwide companions, together with the US of America,” spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa mentioned in an announcement.
“This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes within the North West,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the nation’s counter-terrorism work with the US contains intelligence sharing, strategic coordination, and mutual respect in a joint effort to battle terrorist teams. This cooperative and authorized effort, he mentioned, will proceed.
Republican U.S. Rep. Riley Moore, who lately traveled to the African nation, additionally lately reiterated that the U.S. and Nigeria have established a joint activity power to work on safety.
In a Christmas Eve submit, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wrote on X that he prays for peace within the nation, particularly between these of various religions.
“I stand dedicated to doing all the things inside my energy to enshrine non secular freedom in Nigeria and to guard Christians, Muslims, and all Nigerians from violence,” he wrote.
Tinubu wrote in a Nov. 1 submit on the platform that the “characterisation of Nigeria as religiously illiberal doesn’t mirror our nationwide actuality.” He added that the nation and its authorities “opposes non secular persecution and doesn’t encourage it.”
The U.S. has lately taken steps to punish Nigeria for its perceived failure to guard Christians.
In October, Trump added Nigeria again onto a listing of nations that the U.S. says have violated non secular freedom. Earlier this week, Nigeria was added to the U.S. journey ban checklist of nations dealing with partial restrictions and entry limitations.
The U.S. army final week launched separate large-scale strikes towards dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria, after Trump vowed to hit again within the wake of a suspected ISIS assault on U.S. personnel within the nation.
