United States President Donald Trump has warned that the US could carry out further military strikes in Nigeria if attacks on Christians continue, signalling a possible escalation of American involvement in the country’s security challenges.
Trump made the remarks in a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times published on Thursday, while responding to questions on the December 25 air operation against Islamic State-linked militants in northwest Nigeria.
Asked whether the Christmas Day strike marked the beginning of a sustained military campaign, Trump said he preferred a limited intervention but left the door open to repeated action. “I’d love to make it a one-time strike,” he said. “But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.”
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The US operation, described by Washington as a targeted strike on Islamic State affiliates carried out at the request of the Nigerian government, attracted global attention because it was executed on Christmas Day.
Trump defended the action as a response to what he characterised as persistent killings of Christians by extremist groups in Nigeria, a description that has stirred debate over the underlying motives and framing of the intervention.
When confronted with comments by his senior Africa adviser that groups such as the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram have killed more Muslims than Christians, the US president acknowledged that Muslims were also victims of the violence.
“I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians,” Trump said.
The Federal Government has repeatedly rejected claims of a genocide against Christians, stressing that armed groups operating in the country’s troubled northern regions have targeted both Muslims and Christians.
Nigeria has maintained that it is working closely with international partners on counter-terrorism efforts, while insisting that violence against any community, regardless of religion, is unacceptable.
