President Trump stated Thursday that the U.S. launched “highly effective and lethal” strikes in opposition to Islamic State forces in Nigeria, after spending weeks accusing the West African nation’s authorities of failing to rein within the persecution of Christians.
“Tonight, at my route as Commander in Chief, america launched a robust and lethal strike in opposition to ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who’ve been focusing on and viciously killing, primarily, harmless Christians, at ranges not seen for a few years, and even Centuries!” Mr. Trump wrote on his social media platform Fact Social. “I’ve beforehand warned these Terrorists that if they didn’t cease the slaughtering of Christians, there could be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.”
Mr. Trump didn’t present additional particulars on the strikes, resembling how many individuals have been killed, who or what was particularly focused, or what number of strikes have been carried out, aside from to say they have been “quite a few excellent strikes.”
Nonetheless, U.S. Africa Command, which oversees U.S. army operations in Africa, stated in an announcement that its “preliminary evaluation is that a number of ISIS terrorists have been killed within the ISIS camps.”
Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth additionally posted on X: “The President was clear final month: the killing of harmless Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) should finish. “The @DeptofWar is at all times prepared, so ISIS came upon tonight — on Christmas. Extra to return… Grateful for Nigerian authorities assist & cooperation.”
The Protection Division posted to its X account an unclassified 9-second video that appeared to point out a missile being launched from a army vessel.
In its personal assertion, Nigeria’s international ministry acknowledged the strikes and indicated that it was given superior discover, saying that “Nigerian authorities stay engaged in structured safety cooperation with worldwide companions, together with america of America, in addressing the persistent menace of terrorist and violent extremism. This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes within the North West.”
“Terrorist violence in any kind, whether or not directed at Christians, Muslims or different communities, stays an affront to Nigeria’s values and to worldwide peace and safety,” the ministry added.
In early November, Mr. Trump stated that he had instructed the Pentagon to “put together for attainable motion” in Nigeria after he alleged that Nigeria’s authorities was not doing sufficient to fight the persecution of Christians there.
“If we assault, it will likely be quick, vicious and candy, identical to the terrorist thugs assault our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!” Mr. Trump wrote on Nov. 1.
In response on the time, Hegseth wrote on social media that the “Division of Struggle” — the Trump administration’s most popular time period for the Protection Division — was “getting ready for motion.”
This comes a couple of week after the U.S. performed a sequence of strikes on ISIS targets in Syria in response to the killing of two U.S. troopers and an interpreter.
Mr. Trump in November additionally stated he could be designating Nigeria as a “nation of specific concern.”
Designating a “nation of specific concern” underneath the 1998 Worldwide Non secular Freedom Act is an government prerogative that usually follows suggestions from each the congressionally mandated U.S. Fee on Worldwide Non secular Freedom and the State Division.
The State Division often releases its annual Report on Worldwide Non secular Freedom within the spring, however has not but carried out so this yr. The report might or might not embody “specific concern” designations, which could be carried out at any time. And, such designations, which authorize U.S. penalties, don’t essentially impose sanctions.
The Nigerian authorities has rejected Mr. Trump’s claims that it isn’t doing sufficient to guard Christians from violence. Analysts have stated that whereas Christians are amongst these focused, the vast majority of victims of armed teams are Muslims in Nigeria’s Muslim-majority north, the place most assaults happen. Earlier Thursday, at the very least 5 individuals have been killed and dozens extra injured in an explosion at a mosque within the northeastern Nigerian metropolis of Maiduguri.
Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu beforehand stated on social media that the characterization of Nigeria as a religiously illiberal nation doesn’t mirror the nationwide actuality.
“Non secular freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identification and shall at all times stay so,” Tinubu stated. “Nigeria opposes spiritual persecution and doesn’t encourage it. Nigeria is a rustic with constitutional ensures to guard residents of all faiths.”
Nigeria was first positioned on the “nation of specific concern” listing by the U.S. in 2020 in what the State Division referred to as “systematic violations of spiritual freedom.” However the designation didn’t single out assaults on Christians. The designation was lifted in 2023 in what many noticed as a approach to enhance ties between the international locations forward of a go to by then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
