US Conducts Airstrikes in Nigeria Targeting ISIS Following Attacks on Christians

US Launches Airstrikes on ISIS in Nigeria Following Attacks on Christians.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that American forces carried out “numerous” and “deadly” airstrikes against ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria, following reports that extremist groups were targeting Christians in the region.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the operation was conducted under his direct orders as Commander-in-Chief. “Tonight, at my direction, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS terrorist scum in northwest Nigeria,” he wrote.

Trump accused the extremists of “viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians,” adding that the violence had reached levels “not seen for many years, and even centuries.” He also claimed that he had previously warned the group to stop their attacks: “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.”

According to the president, the strikes were executed with precision by US forces. “The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing,” Trump added, praising the military’s effectiveness and concluding with a holiday message: “May God bless our military, and Merry Christmas to all.”

Context and Background

Nigeria has faced years of violence from extremist groups, including ISIS-linked factions and Boko Haram, particularly in the northern and northeastern regions. The US recently designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act.

In November, Trump directed the Pentagon to plan potential military action following reports of persecution of Christians. The US State Department also announced visa restrictions on Nigerians and family members linked to mass killings and violence against Christians.

Nigerian Government Response

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu vowed to protect religious freedom in a statement released on Christmas Day. “As your President, I remain committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect all people of different faiths from violence,” he said.

The Nigerian government has rejected claims of systematic persecution of Christians, stating that armed groups target both Muslims and Christians, and that such narratives oversimplify a complex security situation. The country has a roughly equal population of Muslims, primarily in the north, and Christians in the south.