American Signals of Additional Nigeria Military Actions as Abuja Talks of 'Joint Continuing Missions'.
The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of additional airstrikes against ISIS positions in north-western Nigeria. This comes a short time after American forces took action against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a campaign to stop the killing of Christians.
“The president was clear previously: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary posted on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Grateful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Top Diplomat Describes Strikes as Joint Operation
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement followed after the former U.S. leader had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to prevent Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is constitutionally a non-religious state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as religious persecution. The government in Abuja have pointed out that militants attack both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Coordination Behind the Airstrikes
Nigeria provided the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, then called the Nigerian president for approval, and then spoke with the American official again.
“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed 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 gangs of armed bandits and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some analysts say this IS branch started when herders banded together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.
Clashes between pastoralists and mostly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in competition for resources.
- Clergy and pastors have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, though some experts say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination.
- A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a distinct conflict largely separate to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Unrest and Data
There have been thousands of events 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 stressed that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Broader American Military Posture
This action occurs amid a wider pattern of American activity overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this term has seen military actions in several countries and a significant military buildup in another region.
Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties 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 continuing.”
