US Warns of Additional Nigerian Strikes as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Collaborative Continuing Missions'.
The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of further airstrikes against Islamic State strongholds in northwest Nigeria. This follows hours after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a campaign to halt the killing of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary wrote on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Thankful for Nigerian government 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 joint continuing operations.” This statement followed after the former U.S. leader had earlier alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that militants target both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Coordination Preceding the Missions
Nigeria provided the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He detailed 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 always been hoping for, to work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom said the operations in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with Nigerian authorities.
Background of Conflict in Northwestern Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some observers say this IS branch originated when herders joined together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.
Clashes between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in disputes for land and water.
- Clergy and religious leaders have increasingly been taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than sectarian hatred.
- A December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct conflict largely unrelated to the violence in the north-west.
Continuing Violence and Statistics
There have been thousands of 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 “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”
Broader American Military Posture
This intervention occurs amid a wider pattern of American engagement overseas during this administration. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this term has seen military actions in multiple countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region.
Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the recent airstrikes. When asked if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”