Trump Claims U.S. Strikes ISIS in Nigeria

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U.S. Launches Strikes Against ISIS in Nigeria Amid Rising Tensions

In a recent social media post, former President Donald Trump announced that the United States had launched a "powerful and deadly strike" on ISIS terrorists in Nigeria. According to Trump, these groups have been "targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians." The statement came after Trump previously warned of potential military action in Nigeria, threatening to go "guns-a-blazing" in early November.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed Trump's message around the same time, stating on X that the Department of Defense was "preparing for action." In his latest post, Trump claimed that the Department of War executed "numerous perfect strikes," emphasizing the capability of the U.S. military.

"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," Hegseth wrote, adding a festive note with "Merry Christmas!"

The U.S. Africa Command confirmed the strikes on X, stating they were conducted "in coordination with Nigerian authorities." The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs later released a statement affirming the collaboration between U.S. and Nigerian forces, highlighting their joint efforts to combat ISIS and other extremist groups.

"In line with established international practice and bilateral understandings, this cooperation includes the exchange of intelligence, strategic coordination, and other forms of support consistent with international law, mutual respect for sovereignty, and shared commitments to regional and global security," the ministry stated.

The Defense Department also shared Trump’s message along with a brief video clip labeled "unclassified" showing a missile launch from a ship, presumably targeting locations in Nigeria. This strike follows recent U.S. actions against ISIS in Syria, which occurred after an attack on U.S. and partner forces that killed three Americans earlier this month.

Trump had instructed the Pentagon to prepare for possible action against Nigeria in November, accusing the Nigerian government of not doing enough to protect Christians from violence. When asked if U.S. troops might be deployed on the ground in Nigeria, Trump responded, "Could be."

"They're killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers, we're not going to allow that to happen," he said.

Following these events, the State Department updated its designation for Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC) due to alleged "severe violations of religious freedom" and persecution of Christians. Last week, Nigeria was also added to the U.S. travel ban list, imposing partial restrictions and entry limitations.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu does not deny the violence against Christians in Nigeria but argues that previous claims of religious intolerance in the country "do not reflect our national reality." Independent experts note that extremist groups have targeted both Muslims and Christians in Nigeria, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians in recent years.

On Christmas Eve, President Tinubu posted on X, expressing his commitment to peace and religious freedom. "I stand committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect Christians, Muslims, and all Nigerians from violence," he stated.