American Signals of Additional Nigerian Military Actions as Abuja Speaks of 'Collaborative Continuing Operations'.
The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has warned of new airstrikes against Islamic State positions in northwest Nigeria. This comes a short time after U.S. military forces conducted operations against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has characterized these efforts as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was explicit last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary posted on a social platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames Strikes as Joint Operation
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint ongoing operations.” This statement followed after Trump had previously accused Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is officially a non-religious state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who frame it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have noted that militants attack both Christians and Muslims.
Information and Coordination Preceding the Airstrikes
Nigeria supplied the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He explained that he had spoken with his American opposite number, then 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 always been hoping for, to work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the killing of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom confirmed the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with local officials.
Background of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this affiliate started when herders banded together to fight bandits due to a lack 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 resources.
- Priests and religious leaders have increasingly been taken hostage, 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 killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a distinct conflict largely unrelated to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Violence and Data
There have been numerous events of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them affecting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected regions.
Tuggar stressed that the operation was about “protecting Nigerians and civilians,” not a single faith. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Wider U.S. Foreign Posture
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 initial period of this term has seen military actions in multiple countries and a major deployment of forces in another region.
Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When asked 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 ongoing.”
