US Signals of Additional Nigeria Strikes as Nigeria's Capital Talks of 'Joint Ongoing Missions'.
The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated new military actions against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria. This comes a short time after American forces took action against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has characterized these efforts as part of a mission to end the slaughter of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was explicit last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary posted on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. 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 earlier alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as religious persecution. The government in Abuja have noted that militants target both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes
Nigeria supplied the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He detailed that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, before called the Nigerian president for authorization, and then conferred 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 killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with Nigerian authorities.
Background of Violence in North-West Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this affiliate started when herders joined together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.
Clashes between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in competition for land and water.
- Priests and pastors have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, though some specialists say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than religious discrimination.
- A Christmas Eve 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 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 most affected regions.
Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “safeguarding Nigerians and innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”
Broader American Foreign Policy
This action occurs amid a wider pattern of American engagement overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the first year of this presidency has seen military actions in several countries and a major deployment of forces 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 responded: “You can call it a new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
