The United States launched a number of strikes against the Islamic State in northwestern Nigeria, President Trump announced on Thursday, the latest American military campaign against a nonstate adversary — in this case, Islamic jihadis who the president asserts have been slaughtering Christians.
Mr. Trump made his announcement on Truth Social, and it came with scant details. He said only that “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!”
A Defense Department official said that the Pentagon had worked in tandem with the Nigerian government to carry out the strikes, which the official said were approved by that government. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the operation.
The attack comes after Mr. Trump ordered the Defense Department last month to prepare to intervene militarily in Nigeria to protect Christians from attack by Islamic militants. An insurgency there has gone on for more than a decade, killing thousands of Christians and Muslims across sectarian lines in Africa’s most populous country.
United States Africa Command, responding to Mr. Trump’s orders, in November drew up options for targeting insurgents in Nigeria and forwarded them to the Pentagon and the White House. The options included airstrikes on the few known compounds in northern Nigeria inhabited by militant groups, officials said.
But even as the plans were being drawn, American military officials said it was doubtful they would have much long-term impact. Militant groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province have targeted Christians in Nigeria, along with many Muslims accused of not being sufficiently devout.
The Defense Department declined to provide any additional details on the strikes in northwestern Nigeria.
Mr. Trump, in his Truth Social post, said that “under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper.” He added: “May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.”
Helene Cooper is a Pentagon correspondent for The Times. She was previously an editor, diplomatic correspondent and White House correspondent.
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