US Issues Warning of Additional Nigeria Strikes as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Joint Continuing Missions'.
The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has warned of new airstrikes against IS targets in north-western Nigeria. This comes a short time after American forces launched strikes against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a mission to halt the slaughter of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was clear previously: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” Hegseth wrote on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Top Diplomat Frames Strikes as Joint Effort
Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint ongoing operations.” This comment followed after the former U.S. leader had earlier alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to prevent Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have noted that militants target both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Coordination Preceding the Airstrikes
Nigerian authorities supplied the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He explained that he had consulted with his American opposite number, then called the Nigerian president for authorization, and subsequently spoke with the American official again.
“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner 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 said the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities.
Background of Violence in North-West Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by criminal groups and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this IS branch started when herders joined together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.
Conflicts between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in competition for resources.
- Priests and religious leaders have been increasingly taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred.
- A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct conflict 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 half of them targeting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the hardest-hit regions.
Tuggar stressed that the operation was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”
Wider American Foreign Policy
This action comes amid a broader pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this term has seen military actions in several countries and a major military buildup in another region.
Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is continuing.”
