Washington, United States – US President Donald Trump announced via his “Truth Social” platform that US forces carried out a military operation targeting elements of the “ISIS” terrorist organization in northwestern Nigeria, on Thursday evening (December 25).
Details of the process
President Trump confirmed that the strike was carried out under his direct orders as Commander-in-Chief, describing the operation as “powerful and lethal.” He explained that the strike was intended to retaliate for a series of atrocities committed by the group.
Trump wrote: “These terrorists have committed a long series of brutal killings, mostly against innocent Christians, on a scale not seen in the world for years or even centuries.”
Location and results
For its part, the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed the accuracy of the reports concerning the operation. Reuters quoted an unnamed US official as saying the following:
Target location: Sokoto State, located in northwestern Nigeria.
Initial results: A number of terrorist elements were killed during the airstrike.
Context of escalation
This strike comes at a time when the region is witnessing increased activity by extremist groups, and reflects the current US administration’s tendency to use direct military force to deter organizations that target civilians and religious minorities in the African continent.
