WASHINGTON, December 26. /TASS/. US forces conducted a strike against militants of the terrorist group "Islamic State" (IS, banned in Russia) on the territory of Nigeria, US President Donald Trump announced.
"Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries," wrote the head of the Washington administration on the Truth Social network. "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," Trump added. "The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing," he asserted. The American leader assured that he "will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper." He wished Merry Christmas to "dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues."
Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth expressed gratitude to the Nigerian authorities on social media X, stating he was "grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation." Addressing the possibility of new strikes against ISIS militants, he noted, "more to come," but did not provide details. In turn, the US Africa Command reported on social media X that the operation was conducted "at the request of Nigerian authorities in Soboto State killing multiple ISIS terrorists."
On November 1, President Trump announced that he had instructed the Pentagon to prepare possible military measures against "Islamic terrorists" in Nigeria to protect Christians. Earlier he claimed that Christians in Nigeria were subjected to an existential threat and promised to protect them. That same day, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu denied Trump’s accusations, saying that the portrayal of Nigeria as a country of religious intolerance does not reflect reality and ignores the measures taken by the authorities to protect freedom of religion and conscience for all Nigerians. According to him, Abuja maintains an open and active dialogue with Christian and Islamic leaders and continues to address security challenges that threaten citizens regardless of their religious background.
Earlier in December, US Ambassador to Nigeria Richard Mills met with the country's Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar. They discussed areas of bilateral cooperation. In this regard, US Congressman Riley Moore stated that Washington and Abuja are close to reaching an agreement on strategic security cooperation aimed at combating terrorism in the federal republic.