The US president earlier warned he would go "guns-a-blazing" in Nigeria unless persecution of Christians is stopped

The US has launched airstrikes against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorists in Nigeria on Christmas Day, President Donald Trump has announced, accusing the militants of "viciously killing" Christians.

In a statement on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said that the deadly attack was aimed at "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!"

"I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay... Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper. May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists," he added.

The strikes, which targeted militants in Sokoto State, were carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities, US Africa Command said. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government for its "support and cooperation", promising that "more [attacks] to come". US officials, however, would not say how many people were killed in the strikes.

READ MORE: Gunmen kill dozen people at Nigeria mining site

Trump has recently escalated pressure on Nigeria over religious violence, which includes killings and kidnappings of Christian worshipers. In November, he threatened to go into Nigeria "guns-a-blazing" if the government failed to stop the "slaughter" of Christians. Washington also imposed visa restrictions targeting those allegedly involved in religious freedom violations and designated Nigeria a "country of particular concern" for religious persecution.

Nigeria has faced a protracted insurgency by Islamist militants since 2009, when Boko Haram launched its campaign to establish an Islamic state. The group pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2015 before splitting the following year into two rival factions: Boko Haram, and the Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP), which focuses its attacks on Christians and those deemed "infidels." Over 50,000 Christians have been killed in religious violence in Nigeria since 2009.