According to U.S. Representative Riley Moore, additional military strikes against militants associated with Islamic State in Nigeria may come after recent operations that President Donald Trump ordered. Moore described the measures as intended to improve security and safeguard Christian communities that are being targeted by violence.
Moore said the things in a televised interview on U.S. military strikes against jihadist targets in north-west Nigeria on Christmas Day.
U.S. and Nigerian authorities say the strikes were carried out in cooperation with the Nigerian government, according to The Guardian.
Moore stated, “President Trump is bringing peace and security to Nigeria and to the thousands of Christians who face horrific violence and death. He is not trying to bring war to Nigeria.”
He claimed that Christians in Nigeria, especially in regions hit by frequent attacks during previous holiday seasons, had found hope in the Christmas Day strikes on Islamic State militants.
U.S. officials said the attacks targeted camps utilized by terrorists affiliated with Islamic State that operate in regions of northwest Nigeria.
As part of continued counterterrorism collaboration between the two nations, Nigerian officials confirmed that the operation was executed with intelligence assistance from Nigerian security agencies.
The goal of the operation, according to the US Africa Command, was to weaken the ability of extremist organizations to carry out attacks against security personnel and civilians.
Because of their involvement in killings, kidnappings, and attacks on rural villages, Nigerian authorities have characterized the targeted groups as a threat to national security.
According to Moore, the strikes represented a change from prior years when attacks against people occurred around Christmas. He claimed that the goal of the U.S. government was to stop more bloodshed by going after terrorist organizations before they could carry out strikes.
According to U.S. officials, the military operation was conducted with the Nigerian government’s approval and was a component of the two nations’ larger security cooperation. International partners have provided Nigeria with logistical help, training, and information as it works to curb militant activity.
Moore has previously encouraged ongoing U.S. involvement in combating extremist violence and called for increased international attention to attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria.
According to him, further action would be contingent upon local developments and ongoing cooperation with Nigerian authorities.
Nigerian officials have reaffirmed their commitment to restoring security throughout the impacted areas and insisted that counterterrorism operations target armed organizations that pose a threat to people, regardless of their religious affiliation.
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