Washington, 27 December (H.S.): United States President Donald Trump disclosed on Friday that American forces delivered devastating airstrikes on Christmas Day, December 25, completely decimating Islamic State (ISIS) militant camps in northwest Nigeria's Sokoto State as retribution for targeted killings of Christians.
The operation unfolded with surgical precision when a U.S. Navy warship stationed in the Gulf of Guinea unleashed over a dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles at two known ISIS encampments, executed in close coordination with Nigerian authorities at Trump's direct order.
In a candid Politico interview published Friday, Trump explained delaying the assault—initially planned for Wednesday—to maximize surprise: They were going to do it earlier... And I said, 'nope, let's give a Christmas present.' They didn't think that was coming, but we hit them hard. Every camp got decimated.
U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed multiple ISIS terrorists perished with no civilian casualties reported, though local accounts noted explosions near Jabo village; Nigerian officials endorsed the joint effort, emphasizing threats to all faiths amid ongoing jihadist incursions from the Sahel.
Retaliatory Fury Amid Religious Persecution Claims
Trump's Truth Social proclamation late Thursday branded the targets ISIS Terrorist Scum slaughtering primarily innocent Christians at levels not seen for many years, and even centuries, fulfilling prior threats to intervene if Nigeria faltered.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised Nigerian cooperation with a festive Merry Christmas! while analysts note ISIS West Africa Province's expansion into Sokoto, though bandits pose broader risks to Muslims and Christians alike. Nigeria's Foreign Minister affirmed intelligence-sharing, averting unilateral U.S. action and signaling readiness for future strikes against entrenched extremists.
Holiday Warfare Blends Faith and Force
This escalation punctuated Trump's Christmas narrative, diverging from the White House's scripture-laden greetings invoking God's abiding love while he skipped church at Mar-a-Lago, opting instead for messianic posts and barbs at domestic foes.
Vice President JD Vance reinforced the administration's Christian nationalist tone, declaring America eternally a Christian nation, as the strikes underscored a policy fusing religious advocacy with military might.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
