American Signals of Further Nigerian Strikes as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Continuing Missions'.
The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has indicated further strikes against IS strongholds in north-western Nigeria. This comes hours after American forces took action against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has characterized these actions as part of a campaign to end the killing of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was explicit last month: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” Hegseth posted on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Grateful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Foreign Minister Describes Strikes as Joint Operation
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement came after Trump had earlier accused Nigeria’s government of failing to prevent Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is officially a secular 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 religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have noted that militants target both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Coordination Behind the Airstrikes
Nigeria supplied the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, before called the Nigerian president for authorization, and then spoke with the American official again.
“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to combat terrorism, to end the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with local officials.
Context of Conflict in North-West Nigeria
Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this IS branch originated when herders joined together to fight bandits due to a absence 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 competition for resources.
- Priests and pastors have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination.
- A Christmas Eve suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate conflict mostly 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 targeting 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 “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Broader American Foreign Policy
This action occurs amid a wider pattern of American engagement 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 several countries and a significant military buildup in another region.
No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed 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 long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
