President Donald Trump has said the US launched a 'powerful and deadly strike' against the Islamic State (IS) group in north-western Nigeria. The US leader described IS as 'terrorist scum', accusing the group of 'targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians'. Trump stated that the US military 'executed numerous perfect strikes', with coordination from Nigerian forces in Sokoto state.
Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar confirmed the operation, stating it was a 'joint operation' aimed at eliminating 'terrorists', and clarified it 'has nothing to do with a particular religion'. Tuggar also indicated the possibility of further strikes depending on decisions from both countries' leadership.
In a recent post on Truth Social, Trump assured that 'under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper'. He had previously ordered US military preparations for action in Nigeria to address Islamist militant groups, although specific claims about targeting Christians were scrutinized for a lack of evidence.
The US Department of Defense later released a video appearing to show a missile launch from a military platform. Nigerian authorities reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing security cooperation with international partners to tackle the threat of terrorism, stating that their efforts had led to successful air strikes on terrorist targets.
While Trump declared Nigeria a 'Country of Particular Concern' due to perceived threats to its Christian population, reports indicate that both Christians and Muslims have been victims of jihadist violence in the region. Human rights organizations argue there is insufficient evidence to claim Christians are being disproportionately targeted in the conflict. The violence in Nigeria, perpetuated by groups like Boko Haram and IS West Africa Province, has primarily affected Muslims.
Further complicating the narrative, President Bola Tinubu's administration emphasizes that the ongoing security challenges impact individuals across all faiths, advocating for a united approach to combatting terrorism.
Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar confirmed the operation, stating it was a 'joint operation' aimed at eliminating 'terrorists', and clarified it 'has nothing to do with a particular religion'. Tuggar also indicated the possibility of further strikes depending on decisions from both countries' leadership.
In a recent post on Truth Social, Trump assured that 'under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper'. He had previously ordered US military preparations for action in Nigeria to address Islamist militant groups, although specific claims about targeting Christians were scrutinized for a lack of evidence.
The US Department of Defense later released a video appearing to show a missile launch from a military platform. Nigerian authorities reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing security cooperation with international partners to tackle the threat of terrorism, stating that their efforts had led to successful air strikes on terrorist targets.
While Trump declared Nigeria a 'Country of Particular Concern' due to perceived threats to its Christian population, reports indicate that both Christians and Muslims have been victims of jihadist violence in the region. Human rights organizations argue there is insufficient evidence to claim Christians are being disproportionately targeted in the conflict. The violence in Nigeria, perpetuated by groups like Boko Haram and IS West Africa Province, has primarily affected Muslims.
Further complicating the narrative, President Bola Tinubu's administration emphasizes that the ongoing security challenges impact individuals across all faiths, advocating for a united approach to combatting terrorism.
