According to the president, the offensive took place in the northwest of the country, as a reprisal for attacks against Christians in the region, and was approved by the Nigerian government.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, stated this Thursday (25) that the American Armed Forces carried out air strikes against Islamic State militants in northwestern Nigeria. The statement was made through a publication on the social network Truth Social. According to Trump, the offensive targeted members of the extremist group accused of carrying out attacks against Christians in the region.
According to the president, the bombings were carried out by the US Department of Defense and authorized by the Nigerian government. The actions would have taken place in the state of Sokoto, an area that, like the state of Borno, in the northeast of the country, has faced episodes of sectarian violence and attacks against civilians for years, including attacks on churches and mosques.
In the message, Trump said he had warned Islamic State militants about possible reprisals if the attacks continued. “If they didn’t stop massacring Christians, they would pay a huge price, and tonight that’s what happened,” he wrote. He also declared that under his leadership, the United States will not allow what he called “radical Islamic terrorism” to prosper.
In an ironic tone, the president ended the publication by wishing “Merry Christmas to everyone”, including the “dead terrorists”. So far, American authorities have not released official details about the operation, such as the number of targets hit or possible victims.
Nigeria is one of the most populous countries in Africa and one of the largest oil producers in the world. The country’s population is mainly divided between Christians and Muslims and has been facing conflicts linked to armed extremist groups for decades.
