US launches 'highly effective strikes' towards Islamic State in Nigeria, says Trump

[ad_1] President Donald Trump has mentioned the US launched a "highly effective and lethal strike" towards the Islamic State (IS) group in north-western Nigeria.

The US chief described IS as " terrorist scum", accusing the group of "concentrating on and viciously killing, primarily, harmless Christians".

Trump mentioned the US army "executed quite a few excellent strikes", whereas the US Africa Command (Africom) later reported that Thursday's assault was carried out in co-ordination with Nigeria within the Sokoto state.

Nigerian International Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar instructed the BBC it was a "joint operation" concentrating on "terrorists", and it "has nothing to do with a specific faith".

Tuggar didn't rule out additional strikes, saying this relied on "selections to be taken by the management of the 2 international locations".

In his submit on Fact Social late on Thursday, Trump mentioned that "beneath my management, our Nation won't permit Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper".

In November, Trump ordered the US army to arrange for motion in Nigeria to sort out Islamist militant teams.

He didn't say on the time which killings he was referring to - however claims of a genocide towards Nigeria's Christians have been circulating in current months in some right-wing US circles.

In the meantime, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth mentioned on Thursday he was "grateful for Nigerian authorities assist & cooperation".

"Merry Christmas!" he added, writing on X.

The US Division of Protection later posted an unclassified brief video that appeared to point out a missile being launched from a army vessel.

On Friday morning, the Nigerian international ministry mentioned in a press release that the nation's authorities "stay engaged in structured safety co-operation with worldwide companions, together with the US of America, in addressing the persistent menace of terrorist and violent extremism.

"This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes within the North West," the assertion mentioned.

Teams monitoring violence say there isn't any proof to counsel that Christians are being killed greater than Muslims in Nigeria, which is roughly evenly divided between followers of the 2 religions.

An adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu instructed the BBC on the time that any army motion towards the jihadist teams must be carried out collectively.

Daniel Bwala mentioned Nigeria would welcome US assist in tackling the Islamist insurgents however famous that it was a "sovereign" nation.

He additionally mentioned the jihadists weren't concentrating on members of a specific faith and that that they had killed individuals from all faiths, or none.

President Tinubu has insisted there may be non secular tolerance within the nation and mentioned the safety challenges had been affecting individuals "throughout faiths and areas".

Trump earlier introduced that he had declared Nigeria a "Nation of Specific Concern" due to the "existential menace" posed to its Christian inhabitants. He mentioned "1000's" had been killed, with out offering any proof.

This can be a designation utilized by the US state division that gives for sanctions towards international locations "engaged in extreme violations of spiritual freedom".

Following this announcement, Tinubu mentioned his authorities was dedicated to working with the US and the worldwide neighborhood to guard communities of all faiths.

Jihadist teams akin to Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have wrought havoc in north-eastern Nigeria for greater than a decade, killing 1000's of individuals - nonetheless most of those have been Muslims, based on Acled, a bunch which analyses political violence around the globe.

In central Nigeria, there are additionally frequent clashes between largely Muslim herders and farming teams, who are sometimes Christian, over entry to water and pasture.

Lethal cycles of tit-for-tat assaults have additionally seen 1000's killed - however atrocities have been dedicated on each side.

Human rights teams say there isn't any proof that Christians have been disproportionately focused.

Final week, the US mentioned it had carried out a "large strike" towards IS in Syria,

The US Central Command (Centcom) mentioned fighter jets, assault helicopters and artillery "struck greater than 70 targets at a number of places throughout central Syria". Plane from Jordan had been additionally concerned.