US President Donald Trump has announced that American forces carried out “powerful and deadly” airstrikes against Islamic State militants in northwestern Nigeria on Christmas Day. The President framed the attack as a direct fulfillment of his warning to stop the killing of Christians in the region.
Operation Details
The US Department of Defense confirmed that “multiple ISIS terrorists” were neutralized during the operation. They clarified that the strike was conducted specifically at the request of the Nigerian government, although further operational details remain sparse.
Trump’s Warning
Taking to his Truth Social platform, President Trump confirmed the strikes hit their targets on Christmas Day.
He wrote:
“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was,”
He added:
“May God Bless our Military,”
“MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.”
Official Confirmation
The US Africa Command corroborated the report via a post on X, stating that the strike took place in Sokoto state “at the request of Nigerian authorities.”
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth also praised the readiness of his department and expressed that he was “grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation.”
Context and Controversy
This marks the first US military strike in Nigeria under the Trump administration. It follows a period of intense rhetoric where the president criticized the Nigerian government, claiming Christians faced an “existential threat” tantamount to “genocide.”
While the move has been applauded by some as a necessary intervention, others fear it could inflame religious tensions in the country. The Nigerian government and independent analysts have historically rejected the narrative often promoted by the US Christian right that the country’s security crisis is purely a case of religious persecution.
Nevertheless, the US has recently placed Nigeria back on its list of countries of “particular concern” regarding religious freedom and has imposed visa restrictions.
