American Warns of Further Nigeria Strikes as Abuja Speaks of 'Collaborative Ongoing Operations'.
The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled additional airstrikes against Islamic State positions in northwest Nigeria. This comes a short time after U.S. military forces launched strikes against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has described these actions as part of a mission to stop the slaughter of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth stated on a social platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Grateful for Abuja's support & cooperation. 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 ongoing operations.” This comment followed after the former U.S. leader had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to prevent 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 garnered focus from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Missions
Nigeria provided the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, then called the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently conferred with the American official again.
“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve long desired, to work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to end the death of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with local officials.
Background of Conflict in North-West Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some analysts say this IS branch started when pastoralists banded together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.
Conflicts between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in disputes for resources.
- Clergy and religious leaders have increasingly been taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred.
- A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a distinct conflict largely separate to the violence in the north-west.
Continuing Violence 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 mission was about “protecting Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Broader U.S. Military Policy
This action comes amid a wider pattern of American activity overseas during this administration. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the first year of this term has seen military actions in several countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region.
Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”