‘We Hit Terrorists Hard To End Mass Killing Of Nigerian Christians’, Says Trump

President Donald Trump of United States has claimed that recent missile strikes authorised by his administration in Nigeria dealt a major blow to terrorist groups and helped curb attacks against Christian communities in the country.

Trump spoke on Friday during an event in Washington, where he defended his administration's military actions against extremist groups and reiterated his commitment to protecting Christians around the world.

According to the US president, the operation targeted terrorist leaders responsible for violence against civilians, particularly Christians, whom he alleged had suffered widespread killings before the strikes.

“As you know, we recently struck Nigeria and largely ended the slaughter of great Christian populations,” Trump said.

He alleged that thousands of Christians, including women, children and elderly persons, had been victims of brutal attacks by terrorist groups operating in parts of Nigeria.

“They have a great Christian population. They were being butchered… Thousands and thousands of people were being killed, children, women, old people, just being slaughtered, hacked to death,” he stated.

Trump further claimed that the strikes eliminated several top commanders of the terrorist groups and served as a warning against future attacks.

“They know that if they go further, the attack will be far greater,” he said.

“We hit them very hard. We knocked out their leader. We knocked out their second leader and their third leader.”

The US president drew parallels between the military operation in Nigeria and his administration's stance on Iran, arguing that both actions were intended to prevent larger security threats from emerging.

“It sounds a little bit like Iran, actually… because we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. Can’t let it happen,” Trump said.

He also maintained that his administration remained determined to protect persecuted Christian communities across the globe through decisive military action against terrorist organisations.

“So I’m saving Christians throughout the world… I’m saving them by hitting these terrorists very violently and very hard. We know where they are. We hunt them down, and we take them out,” he declared.

Trump added that the United States would continue to confront extremist groups and defend religious freedom wherever it believes such freedoms are under threat.