American Warns of Further Nigeria Strikes as Nigeria's Capital Talks of 'Joint Continuing Missions'.
The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further airstrikes against ISIS positions in northwest Nigeria. This follows hours after American forces conducted operations against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has characterized these efforts as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was explicit last month: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary wrote on a social platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames Actions as Collaborative Operation
Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of joint ongoing operations.” This statement followed after the former U.S. leader had earlier alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is constitutionally a non-religious state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.
Information and Collaboration Preceding the Airstrikes
Nigerian authorities supplied the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He explained that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, then contacted the Nigerian president for authorization, and subsequently spoke with the American official again.
“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the operations in Sokoto state had been executed in coordination with local officials.
Background of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this affiliate started when pastoralists joined together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.
Clashes between pastoralists and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in disputes for land and water.
- Clergy and religious leaders have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, though some experts say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination.
- A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a distinct conflict mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Unrest and Data
There have been thousands of incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them affecting civilians, according to conflict monitoring data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected regions.
Tuggar emphasized that the operation was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Wider American Foreign Policy
This action occurs amid a wider pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this administration. Despite campaigning as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this term has seen strikes in multiple countries and a major deployment of forces in another region.
No official from the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When asked if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is continuing.”
