Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Dec 26: US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) announced that the United States carried out what he described as a “powerful and deadly strike” against ISIS terrorists in northwest Nigeria, claiming the action was taken in response to attacks on Christian communities.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said the strikes were launched under his direction as Commander-in-Chief, alleging that ISIS militants had been “viciously killing” Christians in the region.

“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS terrorist scum in northwest Nigeria,” Trump wrote, adding that the attacks were aimed at militants who had been targeting “primarily innocent Christians.”

The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) later confirmed on X that the strike was conducted at the request of Nigerian authorities and resulted in the killing of multiple ISIS militants.

Trump further warned that the United States would not allow radical Islamic terrorism to thrive under his leadership, reiterating his earlier threats of military action if attacks on Christians continued.

“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,” he said, while extending Christmas greetings and issuing further warnings to militant groups.

Nigeria’s government has maintained that armed groups in the country target both Muslims and Christians, stating that claims of Christian persecution do not fully reflect the country’s complex security challenges.

However, Nigeria has agreed to cooperate with the United States to strengthen its security forces in the fight against militant groups, according to reports.

Nigeria’s population is roughly divided between Muslims predominantly in the north and Christians largely in the south, with the country facing persistent violence from various armed and extremist groups.