SOKOTO STATE-(MaraviPost)-The United States has launched a powerful and deadly strike against the Islamic State (IS) group in north-western Nigeria, President Donald Trump announced on Christmas Day. This decisive action underscores the US commitment to combating terrorism and protecting innocent lives.
Trump described IS fighters as “terrorist scum,” accusing them of “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians.”
The US Africa Command (Africom) confirmed that Thursday’s attack was carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities in Sokoto State.
The strike was executed by the US military, with Trump stating that they “executed numerous perfect strikes.”
This operation marks a significant escalation in US military involvement in Nigeria’s fight against Islamist insurgent groups.
However, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar told the BBC that the operation was a joint effort targeting terrorists and “has nothing to do with a particular religion.”
This statement highlights the complexity of the security situation in Nigeria, where armed groups target both Muslims and Christians.
The Nigerian government has confirmed the attacks, emphasizing that they are part of ongoing security cooperation with the US, involving intelligence sharing and strategic coordination to target militant groups.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has called for peace in the country, especially between individuals of differing religious beliefs.
The US strike comes after Trump warned in late October that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria and threatened to militarily intervene in the West African country over what he says is its failure to stop violence targeting Christian communities.