The President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, has announced that U.S. forces carried out airstrikes against ISIS targets in Northwest Nigeria, citing persistent attacks on civilians, particularly Christians.
In a statement released on Christmas night, President Trump said the operation was ordered under his authority as Commander in Chief in response to what he described as escalating violence by ISIS militants in the region.
According to the statement, the strikes were executed by the U.S. Department of Defence and targeted terrorist elements accused of killing innocent civilians over a prolonged period. The President said the action followed earlier warnings issued to the group to halt the attacks.
Trump emphasised that the United States would not permit what he termed “radical Islamic terrorism” to thrive, stressing that the strikes demonstrated U.S. military capability and resolve.
He commended the U.S. military for carrying out the operation and reaffirmed his administration’s stance against terrorism globally. The President concluded his message by offering holiday greetings and reiterating that further action would follow if attacks on civilians continued.
No immediate details were provided on casualties or the extent of damage from the strikes.
