In a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times published on Thursday, United States President Donald Trump signalled that the US could undertake multiple military strikes in Nigeria if violence against Christians persists.

Trump, asked whether the December 25 military operation against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria marked the start of a broader campaign, said, “I’d love to make it a one-time strike… but if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.”

The US strike, which Washington described as targeting Islamic State affiliates at the request of the Nigerian government, drew global attention when it was carried out on Christmas Day.

Trump framed it as a response to what he characterised as repeated killings of Christians by extremist groups in Nigeria, language that has fuelled debate over the motivations behind the intervention.

When pressed about comments from his senior Africa adviser that groups such as Islamic State West Africa Province and Boko Haram had killed more Muslims than Christians in Nigeria, Trump acknowledged that Muslims were also victims.

“I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians,” he said.

The Federal Government has rejected claims of a genocide against Christians, pointing out that violent armed groups operate with mixed motives and have killed both Muslims and Christians across the country’s troubled north.