US Issues Warning of More Nigeria Airstrikes as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Ongoing Missions'.
The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further airstrikes against IS positions in north-western Nigeria. This follows hours after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a mission to stop the slaughter of Christians.
“The president was explicit last month: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary wrote on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Grateful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames Strikes as Collaborative Operation
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This comment came after the former U.S. leader had earlier alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is officially a non-religious state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who frame it as religious persecution. The government in Abuja have pointed out that militants attack both Christians and Muslims.
Information and Coordination Preceding the Airstrikes
Nigerian authorities supplied the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He explained that he had consulted with his American opposite number, then contacted the Nigerian president for authorization, and subsequently spoke 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 fight terrorism, to end the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with local officials.
Background of Conflict in Northwestern Nigeria
Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some observers say this affiliate started when herders joined together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.
Conflicts between pastoralists and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in disputes for land and water.
- Clergy and religious leaders have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, though some experts say this may be driven more by criminal incentives 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 mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Violence and Statistics
There have been numerous 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 stressed that the mission was about “safeguarding Nigerians and innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”
Broader U.S. Foreign Posture
This action occurs amid a broader pattern of American engagement overseas during this period. Despite running as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the first year of this presidency has seen military actions in several countries and a major deployment of forces in another region.
No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if more would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
