United States President, Mr. Donald Trump has reportedly confirmed that the US has carried out airstrikes against Islamic State militants in north-west Nigeria on Thursday, December 25, (Christmas day), claiming the militant group had been targeting Christians in the region.
The president said in a post on Truth Social: “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!
“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.”
The US president called them “powerful and deadly” strikes.
No other details of the strikes were immediately available.
A US official however told the Reuters news agency that the action was carried out in Sokoto state and killed multiple targets, adding that the strikes were conducted at the request of Nigerian authorities.
On X, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warned there would be “more to come”.
“The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end,” he said, adding that “The @DeptofWar [Department of War] is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. More to come…”
He added he was grateful to the Nigerian government for its “support and cooperation”.
This is a developing story….