US Signals of Additional Nigerian Airstrikes as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Joint Continuing Missions'.
The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of additional military actions against ISIS positions in northwest Nigeria. This follows hours after American forces conducted operations against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a mission to end the killing of Christians.
“The president was clear previously: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” Hegseth stated on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Grateful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
Nigeria's Top Diplomat Frames Actions as Collaborative Operation
Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint ongoing 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 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 sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Coordination Preceding the Airstrikes
Nigerian authorities supplied the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had spoken with his American opposite number, before called the Nigerian president for approval, and then spoke with the American official again.
“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to partner with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the killing of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom confirmed the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities.
Background of Conflict in North-West Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some analysts 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 pastoralists and mostly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their core causes lie in disputes for resources.
- Clergy and religious leaders have been increasingly taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination.
- A Christmas Eve attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct insurgency largely separate to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Unrest and Data
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 stressed that the operation was about “protecting Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”
Broader U.S. Military Posture
This intervention occurs amid a broader pattern of American engagement overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this presidency has seen strikes in multiple countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region.
No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When asked 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.”