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After Trump strikes Islamist terrorists, US general travels to Nigeria with militants ‘on the run’
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FIRST ON FOX: In Nigeria, Fox News Digital has been told terrorists are ‘on the run’ following U.S. strikes last month aimed at stopping the killing of Christians in Africa’s most populous country, this as a senior official from U.S. Africa Command visited Nigeria this week.
According to the recently released persecution watchdog Open Doors World Watch List, three out of every four Christians killed for their religion worldwide have been murdered in Nigeria. It is said to average out that one Christian is killed there every two and a half hours.
Thursday in Davos, Switzerland, President Trump confirmed, «In Nigeria we’re annihilating terrorists who are killing Christians. We’ve hit them very hard. They’ve killed thousands and thousands of Christians.»
CHRISTIANS TARGETED IN SYSTEMATIC KIDNAPPING CAMPAIGN IN NIGERIA BY JIHADI HERDSMEN, EXPERTS SAY
U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John W. Brennan, deputy commander, U.S. Africa Command, arriving in Nigeria this week for talks with the Nigerians on advancing coordinated efforts to improve security conditions and protect vulnerable communities across Nigeria. (U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth Tucceri)
This past week, the second-highest-ranking officer at U.S. Africa Command, a former U.S. Special Forces leader who served in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, Lt. Gen. John Brennan, U.S. Army, was as a key member of a U.S. delegation to Nigeria. Speaking exclusively to Fox News Digital from Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, Brennan detailed U.S. moves on the ground to combat Islamic State and other jihadi terror groups.
Brennan gave Fox News Digital insight into the U.S. military’s role now in Nigeria: «We are continuing to provide them (the Nigerians) intelligence support, airborne ISR, (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), things that will make them more accurate. And they had some success in Sokoto post-strike because of the activity that the strike generated across the network.»
The general continued, «A lot of terrorists decided to flee the area, and it allowed the Nigerians the opportunity to arrest them.» But he added, «We’re all about enabling Nigerians to solve Nigerian problems. We want to ensure that they remain a security anchor for all of West Africa and they do too. And so it’s in our mutual interest that we work together.»
«They have a terrorist problem, Brennan said. «So we’re trying to help create effects that will stop them and their borders from getting incurred by terrorist organizations,» he concluded.
US LAUNCHES WAVE OF STRIKES IN SOMALIA TARGETING ISIS, AL-SHABAB TERROR THREATS
«I definitely have a good reason to believe that the target was hit,» Illia Djadi, persecution analyst for sub-Saharan Africa at Open Doors, told Fox News Digital. He added, «and (when) I say target, I mean these armed men, people or groups, their camps have been hit, and eventually afflicting damage to them. They are on the run now. Fleeing in different directions. Some sources say some have fled, maybe to neighboring Niger and others south and in different locations across Nigeria.»
Djadi continued, «All these years, they have been acting and attacking with relative total impunity. But this has changed now. They are scared now. They are hit, and they realize they can be hit again. So this is the symbolism.»
Funerals for some 27 Christians who were reportedly killed by Islamist Fulani tribesmen in the village of Bindi Ta-hoss, Nigeria on July, 28, 2025 (Courtesy: Christian Solidarity International (CSI))
He said, «The bombing resonated even beyond Nigeria’s borders,» Djadi added, «even across Nigeria’s neighbors, like Niger, Mali and other countries. People are watching because of what happened, (thinking) if this can happen to Nigeria, it can happen to countries like Mali, Niger or elsewhere. They are watching. They are taking note of that.»
NIGERIA NAMED EPICENTER OF GLOBAL KILLINGS OF CHRISTIANS OVER FAITH IN 2025, REPORT SAYS
On Thursday, in a plenary session with Brennan present, U.S. and Nigerian officials met to discuss cooperation following President Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a country of Particular Concern.
At the meeting, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker told those present, «Today we are here to determine how we can work together to deter violence against Christian communities, prioritizing counterterrorism and insecurity, investigating attacks, holding perpetrators accountable and reducing the number of killings, forced displacements and abductions of Christians.»
The meeting took place in Abuja. Just over 80 miles away, four days earlier, the abduction of Christians continued, with over 160 worshipers kidnapped from three churches in northern Kaduna state, it is believed, during Sunday services.
At least 51 Christians were killed in another attack in Nigeria’s Plateau state. (Reuters)
In an interview with The New York Times earlier this month, President Trump said more strikes could be made against Nigeria, «If they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.»
This week, when asked if further strikes are possible, a U.S. defense official told Fox News Digital, «That’s a question for the White House. But I can tell you our Nigerian partners are asking for more of our help. And so we’re going to give it to them.»
There are some American boots on the ground, but their numbers are not significant, Brennan said, adding, «a lot of assessment (is) going on. So we have a small team that the Nigerians invited in, and we’re working with them to assess their needs, and to create opportunities that we can both capitalize on together.»
ANOTHER CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AT RISK IN AFRICA AS EXTREMISTS AND WAR TAKE THEIR TOLL
Some military equipment is being shipped in from the U.S., Brennan said, but «it’s nothing out of the ordinary. It’s things they (the Nigerians) had already purchased, as far as ammunition, things that make to help them be more accurate in their operations against ISIS, West Africa Province and Boko Haram.»
Rabiu Ibrahim, Nigeria’s special assistant to the minister of information and national orientation, told Fox News Digital, «Nigeria’s primary and unwavering stance is that terrorism, in all its forms, is a global scourge that requires a collective, yet sovereignly respectful, response. The U.S. military actions in our region are viewed through this lens. We acknowledge that any action which genuinely degrades the capability of terrorist groups threatening the stability of the Sahel and our own national security is a tactical component in a much larger strategic picture.»
U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John W. Brennan, deputy commander, U.S. Africa Command, meets officials upon arriving in Nigeria this week for talks on advancing coordinated efforts to improve security conditions and protect vulnerable communities across Nigeria. (U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth Tucceri)
Ibrahim added, «We have noted, through our own intelligence and battlefield evidence, that such external kinetic actions can disrupt command structures, degrade logistics and create atmospherics of uncertainty among the remnants of groups like ISWAP and Boko Haram.» «Our cooperation with the United States is robust, multifaceted and transcends mere rhetoric,» Ibrahim continued, saying it is focused on key areas, including «capacity building and training: Nigerian units, particularly in intelligence, aviation and special operations, have received advanced training that directly enhances their operational effectiveness in theater.»
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Ibrahim said Nigeria also benefits from the U.S. through intelligence sharing and material and technical support, including night-vision capabilities, claiming «it is not a patron-client relationship, but a partnership where Nigerian leadership on the ground is augmented by specific, requested external support.»
africa,military,terrorism,christianity religion,donald trump
INTERNACIONAL
Battleground GOP lawmaker moves to block what he calls Democratic redistricting ‘power grab’
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FIRST ON FOX: A battleground district House Republican is wading into the redistricting war that has seized the U.S. with his own new proposal to crack down on «partisan gamesmanship.»
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., has introduced a bill called the Fair Apportionment and Independent Redistricting for Maps that Avoid Partisanship (FAIR MAP) Act, which would impose new guardrails on the process of changing congressional districts across all 50 states.
The bill would bar states from drawing districts for or against a specific political party or candidate and ban the creation of new congressional maps more than once a decade following the U.S. census.
It comes as election watchers eye Virginia and Maryland as the latest states whose Democrat-led legislatures could move to redraw their congressional boundaries ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
REDISTRICTING BATTLES BREWING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS PARTIES COMPETE FOR POWER AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., leaves a meeting of the House Republican Conference at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington, July 15, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
Earlier this month, a state Supreme Court judge in Lawler’s own home turf of New York ruled that New York City’s lone Republican-held district is unconstitutional and must be redrawn — handing potentially a consequential win to Democrats.
Lawler said of Democrats’ push in his state, «[Gov. Kathy Hochul] and [House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’] scheme to redraw New York’s congressional districts months before an election is a blatant power grab and misuse of public office.»
The growing redistricting war was kicked off last year when Texas’ GOP-led legislature approved a new congressional map that could give Republicans as many as five new seats in the House of Representatives come the November elections.
Redistricting normally occurs every 10 years after the U.S. census is taken to ensure that seats in the House are reflective of each state’s population. And while there’s a patchwork of state laws aimed at blocking those districts from being redrawn along partisan lines, there is no current federal standard.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at a press conference, July 31, 2024, in the Bronx borough of New York. (Julia Nikhinson/AP Photo)
In addition to banning mid-decade redistricting in most cases and creating a federal gerrymandering standard, Lawler’s bill would also create a host of new provisions dictating how those populations are ultimately counted and how disputes can be resolved.
The bill would block state and local courts from legal redistricting fights, for example, leaving it to federal judges to weigh in on those fights.
DOJ URGES SUPREME COURT TO BLOCK CALIFORNIA MAP, CALLS NEWSOM-BACKED PLAN A RACIAL GERRYMANDER
It would also mandate that just U.S. citizens are counted toward state populations when creating new maps — something that could take a significant amount of power away from sanctuary jurisdictions that can currently factor numbers of illegal immigrants who cannot vote when apportioning districts.
The legislation also includes new electoral provisions like barring ranked-choice voting in federal elections, requiring photo ID for voting in those elections, and banning same-day registration in federal elections.
Lawler was among the House Republicans who forcefully came out against the growing redistricting war last summer, when leaders in Texas and California were going toe-to-toe with threats to redraw their maps.
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But it does not appear likely as of now that his bill will get taken up for a House-wide vote, given House GOP leaders’ prior insistence that redistricting is a states’ issue.
«Voting rights and equal representation only work if the system itself is fair, transparent, and trusted. My FAIR MAP Act puts clear guardrails around congressional redistricting, ends mid-decade political map rigging, and ensures that federal elections reflect the voices of lawful voters, not partisan gamesmanship,» Lawler told Fox News Digital. «Every voter deserves confidence that the system is fair and that their vote counts the same as anyone else’s.»
house of representatives politics,politics,house of representatives,republicans
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Israel on Monday confirmed that the remains of Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last Israeli hostage held in Gaza, have been recovered and returned home.
Gvili, a 24-year-old Israel Police officer from Meitar at the time of his death, was killed during fighting on Oct. 7, 2023, after confronting Hamas terrorists near Kibbutz Alumim and was later abducted to Gaza, according to a statement from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
«Ran, with his broad shoulders and radiant smile, was all heart. A true friend, loved by everyone. He loved life, was a young man of deep values, always spoke at eye level, and carried a powerful yet calm presence,» the group said.
Gvili is survived by his parents, Talik and Itzik, his brother Omri, and his sister Shira, and extended family.
AMERICAN-ISRAELI IDF PLATOON COMMANDER KILLED IN BATTLE, BODY HELD IN GAZA, IDF SAYS
People hold signs with a photo of Ran Gvili, who was killed while fighting Hamas militants during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack and whose body has been held in Gaza ever since, during a rally calling for his return in Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said following the completion of an identification process conducted by Israel’s National Institute of Forensic Medicine, in coordination with police and military authorities, officials informed the Gvili family that their loved one’s remains had been identified and would be returned for burial.
The IDF expressed condolences to the family and said all hostages have now been returned from Gaza to Israel.
This is a breaking news story; check back for updates.
israel,middle east,hamas
INTERNACIONAL
León XIV, entre la preocupación por el pueblo ucraniano y los planes para viajar a la Argentina
Por iniciativa del Papa, nuevos grupos de camiones están siendo alistados en Roma para partir hacia el este con ayuda de primera necesidad para Ucrania, cuya población está sufriendo duros ataques por parte de Rusia. Por otro lado, en el Vaticano se consolida la impresión de que el Papa viajará en el segundo semestre del año a Sudamérica, agregando al Perú como última etapa de una gira por Argentina y Uruguay.
Se informó que la ayuda consiste esta vez en ropa térmica, mantas y barras de alimentos concentrados en la Basílica de Santa Sofía, la iglesia ucraniana en Roma.
Desde el inicio de la guerra, 260 camiones y ambulancias guiados por conductores valientes, como los llamó el cardenal limosnero del Papa, el polaco Konrad Krajewski, han llevado asistencia. El cardenal había lanzado un pedido de nueva ayuda extraordinaria difundida por los medios católicos y elogió a los que guían camiones, ambulancias y otros vehículos hacia Ucrania.
El presidente ucraniano Volodimir Zelenski condecoró al cardenal Krajewski, quien dijo que la medalla no es para el Limosnero sino para las personas de buena voluntad, como las que desde Roma donan ropa y alimentos, o aportan dinero para comprar ecógrafos, generadores y ocho ambulancias que han sido llevadas a Ucrania.
Todo se hace de acuerdo con la lógica del Evangelio, dijo el cardenal. La ayuda es más imprescindible hoy no solo por los tremendos daños que están sufriendo los ucranianos, sino por el intenso frío.
El Papa hizo un nuevo llamado cuando la guerra parece no tener fin y sufren millones de ucranianos. En el Ángelus, el pontífice denunció que incluso en estos días, Ucrania está siendo objeto de ataques continuos que dejan a poblaciones enteras expuestas al frío del invierno. Sigo con dolor lo que ocurre, estoy cerca y rezo por quienes sufren.
La prolongación de las hostilidades, con consecuencias cada vez más graves para los civiles, amplía la fractura entre los pueblos y aleja una paz justa y duradera, señaló León XIV. El pontífice pidió a los habitantes de todo el mundo orar por la paz en Ucrania, en Medio Oriente y en cada región donde, lamentablemente, se lucha por intereses que no son los de los pueblos. La paz se construye en el respeto de los pueblos.
En otra intervención, el Papa elogió los esfuerzos diplomáticos que se realizan para lograr un alto el fuego. Gracias a Dios están trabajando, gracias a Dios parece que nos vamos acercando. En el diálogo hay diversos problemas, pero quiero invitar a todos a un cese del fuego, porque aún tantos están muriendo. El Papa insistió en mantener el diálogo para buscar una solución.
El Papa León XIV cree que debe llevar sus mensajes por el mundo para lograr, en primer lugar, una conciencia colectiva contra las guerras que se siguen difundiendo. En el Vaticano aumentan los preparativos para el viaje que, en el primer semestre de 2026, el Papa proyecta realizar a países africanos.
En cuanto al viaje que nunca se concreta a Sudamérica, el cardenal arzobispo de Montevideo, Daniel Fernando Sturla, dijo que el Papa se despidió de él, tras el reciente Consistorio al que asistieron los cardenales de todo el mundo en el Vaticano, con un: «Nos veremos en Montevideo».
Esta vez, varias versiones coinciden en que el Papa quiere hacer el viaje y que se concretaría en el segundo semestre de 2026. Serían tres los países elegidos: Argentina, Uruguay y Perú.
El Papa Robert Francis Prevost vivió muchos años como misionero en Perú y fue obispo de Chiclayo, elegido para aquel cargo en su momento por el Papa argentino Jorge Bergoglio. En principio, la gira concluiría en Perú tras las etapas en nuestro país y Uruguay.
Como este viaje ha sufrido varias postergaciones desde que el Papa Francisco dijo que proyectaba hacerlo, tras 12 años sin volver a su patria, las versiones sobre la visita del actual Pontífice a Argentina sufren idas y vueltas. Pero esta vez parece que la inclusión de Perú en la gira fortalece la versión de que el periplo sudamericano se concretará en el segundo semestre de este año.
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