President Donald Trump says the U.S. launched a 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.

Trump said the United States launched Christmas night airstrikes in Nigeria targeting ISIS militants he accused of killing Christians in recent attacks.

Make America Great Again (MAGA) supporters are backing President Donald Trump’s strikes reportedly against the Islamic State (ISIS) group in northwestern Nigeria on Christmas Day, who Trump said was "targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians."

“The United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Nigeria confirmed it shared intelligence with the U.S. ahead of Christmas night airstrikes against ISIS targets accused of killing Christians.

The attack comes after President Trump ordered the Defense Department last month to prepare to intervene militarily in Nigeria to protect Christians from Islamic militants.

President Donald Trump said on Christmas Day that the U.S. launched a strike on ISIS targets in Nigeria, citing attacks on Christians.

Nigeria's government has said armed groups target both Muslims and Christians, and U.S. claims that Christians face persecution do not represent the complex security situation and ignore efforts to safeguard religious freedom.

Participating in the strikes raises the risk that the government will be perceived as endorsing the Trump's language on wider sectarian strife, a sensitive issue throughout Nigeria’s history.