Скачать или смотреть Youth party backs US strike on ISIS, cautions against religious framing

In this photo released by the US military's Central Command on February 3, 2024, US Central Command forces, alongside UK Armed Forces and with the support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand conducted strikes against 36 Huthi targets at 13 locations in Iranian-backed Huthi-controlled areas of Yemen. - These multilateral coalition strikes focused on targets in Huthi-controlled Yemen used to attack international merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region. (Photo by US Central Command (CENTCOM) / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / HANDOUT / CENTCOM " - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / HANDOUT / CENTCOM " - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS /  The Youth Party has expressed cautious approval of the reported United States military strike against Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists operating in Northwest Nigeria, while warning that the country’s worsening insecurity must not be framed or exploited along religious lines.  In a statement issued by its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Sope Durodola, the party reacted to claims by U.S. President Donald Trump, who said on Thursday that he ordered a “powerful and deadly strike” against ISIS elements in Nigeria.  Trump, in a post on social media, said the operation targeted ISIS fighters in Northwest Nigeria and later told Politico that he deliberately delayed the strike by a day so it would fall on Christmas.  Reacting to the development, the Youth Party said it acknowledged the grave security threat posed by ISIS-affiliated groups and other terrorist organisations whose activities have continued to destabilise communities and claim innocent lives across several parts of Nigeria.  The party noted that any credible international support aimed at degrading terrorist networks and protecting civilians was welcome, especially in the context of Nigeria’s prolonged battle with insurgency, banditry, and violent extremism.  However, it cautioned that terrorism in Nigeria should never be portrayed as a religious conflict, warning that such narratives could deepen divisions in an already fragile and diverse nation.  According to the Youth Party, extremist violence in Nigeria has claimed the lives of Christians, Muslims, and people of other faiths alike, stressing that terrorism remains a crime against humanity rather than an attack on a particular religion.  The party expressed concern over the symbolic timing of the reported strike, warning that linking military actions to religious events could inflame tensions and undermine national unity.  It stressed that Nigeria’s insecurity cuts across ethnic, regional, and religious boundaries, and urged that any external intervention must respect Nigeria’s sovereignty and be guided strictly by the protection of innocent lives.  The Youth Party call