American Warns of More Nigeria Military Actions as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Ongoing Missions'.
The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has signaled additional airstrikes against Islamic State strongholds in north-western Nigeria. This comes a short time after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has characterized these efforts as part of a mission to end the slaughter of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was explicit previously: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” Hegseth posted on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
Nigeria's Foreign Minister Frames Strikes as Collaborative Effort
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of joint continuing operations.” This comment 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 nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as religious persecution. The government in Abuja have noted that militants target both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Collaboration Preceding the Airstrikes
Nigeria provided the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He detailed that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, then contacted the Nigerian president for authorization, and then spoke with the American official again.
“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve long desired, to work with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Context of Violence in North-West Nigeria
Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by criminal groups and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some analysts say this affiliate originated when herders joined together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.
Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in competition for land and water.
- Clergy and pastors have increasingly been taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than sectarian hatred.
- A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a distinct insurgency mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Unrest and Statistics
There have been thousands of incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% of them affecting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the hardest-hit regions.
Tuggar emphasized that the operation was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Wider American Foreign Policy
This intervention occurs amid a wider pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this administration. Despite running 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 significant deployment of forces in another region.
Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties in the recent airstrikes. When questioned if more would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”
