US Signals of Further Nigeria Airstrikes as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Continuing Missions'.
The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has indicated further airstrikes against IS positions in northwest Nigeria. This comes a short time after American forces took action against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has characterized these actions as part of a campaign to end the killing of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was explicit last month: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary posted on a social platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Grateful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
Nigeria's Foreign Minister Frames Strikes as Joint Operation
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This statement came after the former U.S. leader had earlier accused 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 religious groups in the United States, who describe it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes
Nigerian authorities supplied the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He detailed that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, then contacted the Nigerian president for authorization, and subsequently conferred with the American official again.
“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to combat terrorism, to end the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africa Command confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with local officials.
Context of Conflict 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 affiliate originated when herders joined together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.
Clashes between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in disputes for land and water.
- Priests and religious leaders have increasingly been taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination.
- A December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a distinct insurgency largely separate to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Violence and Statistics
There have been thousands of events 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 stressed that the operation was about “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Broader U.S. Military Policy
This intervention occurs amid a wider pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this administration. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this term has seen strikes in several countries and a significant military buildup in another region.
Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”
