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

The United States carried out airstrikes against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria at the request of Nigeria's government, U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.S. military said on Thursday,

President Trump has previously accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christians from jihadists.

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

President Trump said the targets of airstrikes in Nigeria were Islamic State terrorists responsible for killing Christians, but experts question his framing.

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.

The bombing is the latest in a series of attacks in Nigeria's troubled northern region, where the country is battling multiple armed groups.