West Palm Beach, Florida, 26 December (H.S.): U.S. President Donald Trump announced that American forces executed multiple precision airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) militants in northwest Nigeria on Christmas night, characterising the operation as a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in direct response to their alleged targeting of innocent Christians at levels unprecedented in years or even centuries.

In a Truth Social post timestamped late Thursday, Trump stated he personally directed the Department of Defense—referred to archaically as the Department of War—to carry out the assault after prior warnings went unheeded, vowing further action if attacks persist and concluding with May God bless our military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone, including the deceased Terrorists, of whom there will be many more.

The strikes, conducted at Nigeria's request in coordination with its government, targeted ISIS West Africa Province (ISWAP) strongholds in volatile Borno and Yobe states, where the group has intensified assaults amid a decade-long insurgency killing thousands across sects; casualty figures remain unconfirmed, with no U.S. losses or collateral damage incidents reported.

Trump's move escalates months of rhetoric sparked by Fox News coverage in November, when he designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act, threatening full-force intervention to halt church burnings and massacres—claims echoed by groups like International Christian Concern, though Nigerian officials attribute some violence to economic banditry rather than purely sectarian motives.

ISWAP, Boko Haram's splinter faction, has escalated since late 2024, perpetrating sophisticated assaults like the May seizure of Borno sites and September's Darul Jamal raid killing over 60 civilians and seven soldiers, displacing thousands and surpassing 2024's toll with 2,266 deaths in the first half of 2025 alone per the National Human Rights Commission.

The operation unfolded seamlessly without mechanical failures or mishaps, underscoring U.S. precision capabilities via A-29 Super Tucano jets and enhanced surveillance.

This first major overseas strike of Trump's second term aligns with his pledge to eradicate radical Islamic terrorism, coming amid Nigerian military setbacks—including 35 soldiers killed in three weeks and high-profile losses like Lt. Col. TE Alari—and follows Pentagon preparations ordered post-inauguration.

Abuja welcomed the support in its northeast counteroffensive, where airstrikes have previously neutralised 592 militants since early 2025, though analysts question long-term efficacy against ISWAP's resurgence.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar