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President Donald Trump stated that he ordered “quite a few” strikes on alleged terror targets in northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day.
In a publish on Reality Social on Thursday night, the president wrote that “highly effective and lethal” strikes have been directed at Islamic State terrorists whom he accused of concentrating on and killing Christians within the nation.
Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth shared Trump’s publish on his personal X account, including that he was “grateful for Nigerian authorities help & cooperation.”
A video posted by the Pentagon confirmed at the very least one projectile launched from a warship. A U.S. protection official stated the strike focused a number of militants at identified ISIS camps.
Nigeria’s authorities, in addition to consultants and students, have beforehand stated that Trump’s portrayal of the safety state of affairs within the West African nation is deceptive, as members of all faiths have suffered by the hands of Islamist extremists and different teams. On Wednesday evening, a blast at a mosque in northeast Nigeria killed 5 folks and injured 35.
The nation’s inhabitants is essentially break up between Muslims residing primarily within the north and Christians within the south.
Early Friday, a spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of International Affairs stated the strikes have been carried out as a part of ongoing safety cooperation with the USA, involving intelligence sharing and strategic coordination to focus on militant teams.
“The Ministry of International Affairs … confirms that Nigerian authorities stay engaged in structured safety cooperation with worldwide companions, together with the USA of America,” spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa stated in a press release.
“This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes within the North West,” he stated.
He stated the nation’s counter-terrorism work with the USA contains intelligence sharing, strategic coordination, and mutual respect in a joint effort to battle terrorist teams. This cooperative and authorized effort, he stated, will proceed.
Republican U.S. Rep. Riley Moore, who not too long ago traveled to the African nation, additionally not too long ago reiterated that the U.S. and Nigeria have established a joint process pressure to work on safety.
In a Christmas Eve publish, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wrote on X that he prays for peace within the nation, particularly between these of various religions.
“I stand dedicated to doing the whole lot inside my energy to enshrine non secular freedom in Nigeria and to guard Christians, Muslims, and all Nigerians from violence,” he wrote.
Tinubu wrote in a Nov. 1 publish on the platform that the “characterisation of Nigeria as religiously illiberal doesn’t replicate our nationwide actuality.” He added that the nation and its authorities “opposes non secular persecution and doesn’t encourage it.”
The U.S. has not too long ago taken steps to punish Nigeria for its perceived failure to guard Christians.
In October, Trump added Nigeria again onto a listing of nations that the U.S. says have violated non secular freedom. Earlier this week, Nigeria was added to the U.S. journey ban record of nations going through partial restrictions and entry limitations.
The U.S. navy final week launched separate large-scale strikes towards dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria, after Trump vowed to hit again within the wake of a suspected ISIS assault on U.S. personnel within the nation.
Dennis Romero contributed.
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