American Warns of More Nigeria Airstrikes as Abuja Talks of 'Joint Ongoing Missions'.
The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further strikes against IS strongholds in northwest Nigeria. This follows a short time after U.S. military forces launched strikes against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a mission to end the killing of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was clear last month: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” Hegseth posted on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Top Diplomat Frames Actions as Collaborative Operation
Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This comment came after Trump had previously accused Nigeria’s government of failing to prevent Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has garnered focus from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that militants target both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Coordination Behind the Missions
Nigeria provided the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He detailed that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, then called the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently conferred with the American official again.
“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom said the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Background of Conflict in Northwestern Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some observers say this IS branch started when herders joined together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.
Conflicts between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in disputes for resources.
- Priests and religious leaders have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred.
- A Christmas Eve attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct conflict 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 targeting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the hardest-hit 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. Foreign Posture
This action occurs amid a broader pattern of American activity overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the initial period of this term has seen military actions in multiple countries and a major military buildup in another region.
No official from the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When asked if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”