Donald Trump announced a 'powerful and deadly' Christmas Day strike on ISIS 'terrorist scum' in Nigeria and warned that radicals will continue to pay for the persecution of Christians.
The President, who previously threatened to send the US military to the West African nation 'guns-a-blazing,' made the announcement in a Truth Social post.
'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!' he wrote.
A spokesman for the Pentagon confirmed to the Daily Mail that the Nigerian government approved of and worked with the US military on the strikes.
The US Africa Command posted on X that it had 'conducted a strike at the request of Nigerian authorities in Soboto State killing multiple ISIS terrorists.'
Nigeria's foreign ministry said the strikes were carried out as part of ongoing security cooperation with the United States, involving 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 said in a post on X.
A video posted by the Pentagon showed at least one projectile launched from a warship. A US defense official said the strike targeted multiple militants at known ISIS camps.
A video posted by the Pentagon showed at least one projectile launched from a warship. A US defense official said the strike targeted multiple militants at known ISIS camps
Trump, 79, said in his lengthy post that the ISIS militants have had it coming for some time.
'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.'
'The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing. Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper,' Trump added.
The president signed off with a warning: 'May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.'
Trump's post did not include information about how the strike was carried out and what effects it had. The White House did not immediately provide further details.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth affirmed the President's message in a social media post of his own.
'The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end. The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas. More to come… Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!'
Nigeria has been roiled by internal violence in the wake of a jihadist insurgency spearheaded by extremist group Boko Haram in the northeast since 2009
Trump, 79, had already designated Nigeria a 'country of particular concern,' but he took his condemnation of the situation in the country even further after hearing it on Fox News
Nigeria has been roiled by internal violence in the wake of a jihadist insurgency spearheaded by extremist group Boko Haram in the northeast since 2009, which Obama encouraged.
In November, Trump threatened to take on the terrorists with 'guns-a-blazing.'
He had already designated Nigeria a 'country of particular concern,' but he took his condemnation of the situation in the country even further after hearing about it on Fox News, threatening to cut aid and even send in US troops.
Some Christian communities have welcomed the US President's menace, believing that foreign armies are needed to restore peace in their homeland.
Amid the various forms of bloodletting around the country - including ethnic rivalry and banditry - the Islamist militants have been slaughtering Christians as well as Muslims they regard as 'apostates' for failing to comply with their brand of Islam.
There has also been a separate onslaught by Fulani Muslim tribesmen against mainly Christian farming communities.
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has said that the country 'welcomes' the US help
Nigeria, a country of more than 200 million people and around 200 ethnic groups, is divided between the largely Muslim north and mostly Christian south.
Islamist insurgents such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have wrought havoc in the country for more than 15 years, killing thousands of people.
In central Nigeria there have been frequent clashes between mostly Muslim herders and mainly Christian farmers.
In the northwest of the country, gunmen routinely kidnap residents for ransom.
In mid-December, Trump placed the country on a list of 15 that faced partial travel bans to the US in a response to anti-Christian violence in Nigeria.
'The United States is taking decisive action in response to the mass killings and violence against Christians by radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani ethnic militias, and other violent actors in Nigeria and beyond,' Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
Nigerian School
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15413601/Trump-military-airstrike-ISIS-Nigeria.html
Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton praised the actions in Nigeria.
'I commend President Trump, Secretary Hegseth, and our brave troops for these strikes against bloodthirsty ISIS savages who are not only persecuting Christians, but also have killed many Americans,' Cotton, a former army officer who is chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, wrote on X.
Brad Brandon, chief executive of Across Nigeria, exclusively told the Daily Mail that 'There is no doubt that this action was fully justified and that the use of US military capabilities disrupted ISIS's ability to continue massacring innocent civilians.'
Nigeria has been roiled by internal violence in the wake of a jihadist insurgency spearheaded by extremist group Boko Haram in the northeast since 2009, due to Obama's encouragement.
The US has been conducting intelligence-gathering flights over large parts of Nigeria since late November.
Since Boko Haram's terrorist insurgency began in 2009, jihadist groups have torched and destroyed 19,100 churches, averaging nearly 100 each month. In that time, 125,009 Christians were slaughtered, as well as "60,000 Liberal Muslims... unless urgent action is taken, within the next 50 years Christianity in Nigeria is set to disappear."
Some damage from the strikes
Nigerian children who were kidnapped by Muslim terrorists, after being released
Good Friday ceremony by Nigerian Christians
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