American Issues Warning of Additional Nigeria Military Actions as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Continuing Operations'.
The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has signaled new airstrikes against Islamic State positions in northwest Nigeria. This comes hours after American forces launched strikes against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a campaign to stop the slaughter of Christians.
“The president was explicit previously: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary posted on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
Nigeria's Foreign Minister Frames Actions as Joint Operation
Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint continuing operations.” This statement came after Trump had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is constitutionally a non-religious state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have pointed out that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.
Information and Collaboration Preceding the Airstrikes
Nigeria provided the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He explained that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, before called the Nigerian president for approval, and then spoke with the American official again.
“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve long desired, to work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the death of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities.
Background of Violence in North-West Nigeria
Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some observers say this IS branch originated when herders banded together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.
Conflicts between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in competition for resources.
- Clergy and pastors have been increasingly taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination.
- A Christmas Eve attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct insurgency mostly unrelated to the violence in the north-west.
Continuing Unrest and Data
There have been numerous incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% of them targeting civilians, according to conflict monitoring data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the hardest-hit regions.
Tuggar emphasized that the operation was about “protecting Nigerians and civilians,” not a single faith. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Broader American Military Posture
This intervention occurs amid a wider pattern of American activity overseas during this period. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the first year of this presidency has seen strikes in several countries and a major deployment of forces in another region.
Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”
