WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President
Donald Trump said Thursday that the U.S. launched a “powerful and deadly” strike against
Islamic State forces in Nigeria, after
spending weeks accusing the West African country’s government of failing to rein in
the persecution of Christians.
In a Christmas evening post on his social media site, Trump did not provide details or mention the extent of the damage caused by the strikes.
A Defense Department official, who insisted on anonymity to discuss details not made public, said the U.S. worked with Nigeria to carry out the strikes, and that they’d been approved by that country’s government.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the cooperation included exchange of intelligence and strategic coordination in ways “consistent with international law, mutual respect for sovereignty and shared commitments to regional and global security.”