US Signals of More Nigerian Airstrikes as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Collaborative Ongoing Operations'.
The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has indicated additional airstrikes against ISIS strongholds in north-western Nigeria. This follows hours after American forces took action against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has characterized these actions as part of a mission to halt the slaughter of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was explicit last month: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end,” Hegseth stated on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames Strikes as Collaborative Effort
Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of joint continuing operations.” This statement came after the former U.S. leader 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 almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as religious persecution. The government in Abuja have noted that militants attack both Christians and Muslims.
Information and Coordination Behind the Missions
Nigeria provided the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He explained that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, before 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 work 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 Africa Command confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Background of Violence in North-West Nigeria
Forests 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 lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.
Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their core causes lie in disputes for land and water.
- Clergy and religious leaders have been increasingly 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 killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct insurgency mostly unrelated to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Violence and Data
There have been numerous incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% of them affecting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the hardest-hit regions.
Tuggar emphasized that the operation 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 American Military Policy
This intervention occurs amid a broader pattern of American activity overseas during this period. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the first year of this presidency has seen military actions in multiple countries and a significant military buildup in another region.
Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the recent airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”
