The United States Department of Defense released a short video showing what looks like a missile launch. The missile appears to have been fired from a US military vessel at sea.
The video was shared after President Donald Trump announced a major US military action. He said the United States carried out a strong and deadly strike in north-western Nigeria.
President Trump said the attack targeted the Islamic State group operating in the region. He described the group as terrorists and accused them of killing innocent people.
Trump also claimed that the victims were mainly Christians. He said the United States would not allow what he called radical Islamic terrorism to succeed.
The US president added that the American military carried out several perfect strikes. He did not give full details about the targets or the exact locations hit.
Later, the US Africa Command confirmed the operation. Africom said the airstrike happened on Thursday in Sokoto State in Nigeria.
Africom also explained that the strike was done together with Nigerian authorities. The command said the mission was coordinated closely with Nigeria’s government.
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, confirmed the cooperation. He told the BBC that the attack was a joint military operation.
The minister said the mission was aimed at terrorists and not at any religion. He stressed that the operation had nothing to do with religious beliefs.
Tuggar explained that the plan had been prepared for a long time. He said Nigerian intelligence helped guide the strike.
He also said more attacks could happen in the future. According to him, this would depend on decisions made by leaders in both countries.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump repeated his strong language. He said his leadership would stop terrorism from growing anywhere.
Trump did not clearly explain which killings he was referring to. In recent months, some groups in the US have claimed Christians are being targeted in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s foreign ministry later released an official statement. It said Nigeria is working with international partners to fight terrorism.
The ministry said this cooperation led to precise airstrikes on terrorist targets. It confirmed that the strikes took place in north-western Nigeria.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also commented on the operation. He thanked the Nigerian government for its support and cooperation.
He ended his message with a Christmas greeting. His comment was posted on the social media platform X.
Meanwhile, groups that monitor violence in Nigeria challenged Trump’s claims. They said there is no proof that Christians are killed more than Muslims.
Nigeria is almost evenly divided between Christians and Muslims. Many reports show that both groups have suffered from violence.
An adviser to President Bola Tinubu also spoke to the BBC earlier. Daniel Bwala said Nigeria welcomes US help but remains a sovereign nation.
He said terrorist groups attack people of all faiths. He added that the violence is not aimed at one religion alone.
President Tinubu has repeatedly spoken about religious tolerance. He said security problems affect Nigerians across all regions and beliefs.
Trump previously named Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern.” He said this was because of threats to Christians, but gave no evidence.
This US designation can lead to sanctions for religious freedom abuses. Nigeria responded by saying it will protect all communities.
Jihadist groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP have caused destruction for many years. Most victims of their attacks have been Muslims, according to researchers.
In central Nigeria, conflicts also happen between herders and farmers. These clashes are linked to land and water, not religion.
Human rights groups say violence affects everyone. They insist there is no proof of targeted killings against Christians alone.
Source : BBC
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