Trump Orders Christmas Day Airstrikes on ISIS in Nigeria to Protect Christians
US conducts airstrikes on ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria following Trump's warnings over attacks on Christians.
The United States has carried out a military strike in Nigeria targeting fighters linked to the Islamic State, according to a statement by President Donald Trump. Announcing the operation on social media, Trump said he ordered American forces to deliver what he described as a “powerful and deadly strike” against ISIS elements operating in the country’s northwest.
U.S. Africa Command later confirmed the operation, stating that the strike was conducted at the request of Nigerian authorities. According to AFRICOM, multiple ISIS terrorists were killed in the attack, which was part of ongoing cooperation between the U.S. military and Nigeria to counter extremist groups threatening regional stability.
The strike follows warnings Trump issued in November, when he threatened possible U.S. military action if Nigeria failed to stop Islamist militants from what he described as widespread killings of Christians. In his latest remarks, Trump claimed the targeted ISIS fighters had been “viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians” and said the United States would no longer tolerate such attacks.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed the president’s stance, warning that further military action could follow if extremist groups continue to target civilians in Nigeria or elsewhere. His comments underscored the administration’s framing of the operation as both a counterterrorism mission and a response to religiously motivated violence.
While the White House has not released details about the specific weapons used or the total number of casualties, the strike highlights renewed U.S. involvement in counterterrorism operations in West Africa. Nigeria has faced years of insurgency from groups affiliated with ISIS and Boko Haram, and the latest action signals a tougher U.S. posture toward militants operating in the region.
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