United States President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could carry out additional military strikes in Nigeria if Christians continue to be killed there, comments that have drawn renewed attention to Washington’s rhetoric on religious violence in the West African nation.
In an interview with The New York Times published on Thursday, Trump said further action was possible following a U.S. military strike on Christmas Day that targeted Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria. The US.military said at the time that the operation was conducted at the request of Nigeria’s government.
“I’d love to make it a one-time strike,” Trump said. “But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.”
Nigerian government has consistently rejected claims that Christians are being systematically persecuted in the country.
When asked about statements by his own Africa adviser that militant groups such as Islamic State and Boko Haram have killed more Muslims than Christians, Trump acknowledged that Muslims were also victims but insisted Christians were primarily targeted. “I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria,” he said. “But it’s mostly Christians.”
Trump has repeatedly raised the issue in recent months. In late October, he warned that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria and suggested the United States could intervene militarily if the Nigerian government failed to stop violence against Christian communities.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with more than 230 million people has long struggled with security challenges, including insurgency, kidnappings and attacks by Islamist militant groups.
