President Donald Trump said the United States launched airstrikes in northwest Nigeria on Christmas night, targeting Islamic State militants accused of carrying out deadly attacks against Christian communities after ignoring his earlier warning of imminent military action.
In a statement posted Thursday on Truth Social, Trump said the strikes were carried out after ISIS affiliated fighters continued killing Christians despite what he previously described as a “guns-a-blazin” warning issued earlier this fall. He characterized the operation as decisive and warned that further attacks would follow if the violence continues.
The strikes follow a video message released by Trump in early November in which he threatened to take military action against ISIS elements operating in Nigeria if the killings did not stop. Around that time, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Department of Defense was preparing for potential action in the region.
Trump said the operation involved multiple precision strikes and emphasized that under his leadership the United States would not allow what he described as radical Islamic terrorism to flourish. He praised the U.S. military for carrying out the mission and framed the strikes as a response to sustained attacks on innocent civilians.
U.S. officials have not released details regarding casualties or specific targets. Nigerian authorities had not publicly commented on the strikes as of Thursday night.
Northwest Nigeria has seen increased activity by ISIS affiliated groups in recent years, with repeated attacks on villages and religious communities, making the region a growing focus of U.S. counterterrorism efforts.
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