The President of the United States, Donald Trump, stated this Thursday that the U.S. Army has carried out attacks against targets of the jihadist group Islamic State in northwestern Nigeria, in a coordinated operation with the authorities of the African country. The intervention comes amid growing international concern over the insecurity affecting numerous Christian communities in various regions of Nigeria.
Trump stated that the bombings were “powerful and lethal” and accused the Islamic State of “brutally attacking and murdering, mainly, innocent Christians.” The U.S. president made these statements in a message posted on his social network Truth Social, in which he insisted that his Administration will not allow Islamist terrorism to take hold.
Nigeria, one of the most dangerous countries for Christians
Nigeria has been for years one of the countries with the highest number of Christians killed due to jihadist violence and armed conflicts with a religious component. Groups such as Boko Haram and the local branch of the Islamic State, known as the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have repeatedly attacked villages, churches, and Christian communities, especially in the north and center of the country.
Although various international organizations emphasize that the violence also affects Muslim populations, church leaders and Christian organizations have repeatedly denounced that many Christian communities live in a situation of constant vulnerability, marked by murders, kidnappings, and forced displacements.
Joint operation and official reactions
The U.S. Military Command for Africa (Africom) confirmed that the attacks took place in Sokoto State and were part of a joint operation with Nigerian forces. Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it is a matter of security cooperation to combat terrorism and violent extremism, insisting that the action was not directed against a specific religious denomination.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has reiterated on several occasions that the country maintains a framework of religious tolerance and that security problems affect citizens “of all religions and regions.” Following the U.S. announcement, his government reaffirmed its willingness to collaborate with international partners to protect the civilian population.
International debate on the persecution of Christians
Trump’s statements come after recently declaring Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern,” a designation by the U.S. Department of State reserved for nations where serious violations of religious freedom occur. The U.S. president has spoken of an “existential threat” to Nigerian Christians and has denounced the death of “thousands” of them, without providing detailed figures.
A situation that remains unresolved
The U.S. attacks against the Islamic State represent a significant escalation in international military involvement in Nigeria. For the Christians of the country, who have been suffering the violence of jihadist groups for more than a decade, the key issue remains whether these operations will truly contribute to stopping attacks on villages, churches, and Christian families, or if the conflict will continue to disproportionately affect the most vulnerable communities.
The situation of Christians in Nigeria continues to be a cause for concern for the Church and numerous international organizations, in a country where violence continues to mark the daily lives of millions of people.