US Issues Warning of Further Nigerian Airstrikes as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Collaborative Continuing Operations'.
The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further strikes against Islamic State targets in northwest Nigeria. This follows a short time after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a mission to end the killing of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was clear previously: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth posted on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Thankful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames Actions as Joint Effort
Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of joint continuing operations.” This comment came after Trump had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks 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 attack both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Collaboration Preceding the Missions
Nigerian authorities provided the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had spoken with his American opposite number, then called the Nigerian president for approval, and then 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 joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africa Command confirmed the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Context of Conflict in North-West Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some observers say this IS branch started when pastoralists joined together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.
Conflicts between Muslim herders and mostly 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 taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than sectarian hatred.
- A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct insurgency largely separate to the violence in the north-west.
Continuing Unrest and Statistics
There have been thousands of events 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 a single faith. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Broader American Military Posture
This action occurs amid a broader pattern of American activity overseas during this period. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this presidency has seen military actions in multiple countries and a major deployment of forces in another region.
No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the latest airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
