American Issues Warning of Additional Nigeria Strikes as Nigeria's Capital Talks of 'Joint Continuing Missions'.
The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of further strikes against Islamic State positions in north-western Nigeria. This follows a short time after U.S. military forces took action against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a campaign to halt the killing of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was clear previously: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth posted on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
Nigeria's Top Diplomat Frames Actions as Joint Operation
Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of joint ongoing operations.” This comment came after Trump had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is officially a secular state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has garnered focus from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes
Nigeria supplied the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He explained that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, then contacted the Nigerian president for authorization, and then spoke with the American official again.
“We have been collaborating extensively 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 combat terrorism, to end the killing of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom confirmed the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Context of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria
Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this affiliate started when pastoralists joined together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.
Conflicts between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in competition for resources.
- Priests and pastors have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, 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 wounded dozens more, in a separate conflict largely unrelated to the violence in the north-west.
Continuing Violence and Data
There have been thousands of events 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 stressed that the mission 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 Posture
This intervention comes amid a broader pattern of American activity overseas during this period. 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 military actions in several countries and a significant 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 more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
