American Warns of Additional Nigeria Airstrikes as Abuja Speaks of 'Collaborative Ongoing Operations'.
The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of further military actions against IS positions in north-western Nigeria. This comes a short time after U.S. military forces took action against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has characterized these efforts as part of a mission to end the killing of Christians.
“The president was explicit last month: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” Hegseth wrote on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Top Diplomat Describes Actions as Joint Effort
Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This comment came after Trump had earlier alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to prevent Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is officially a non-religious state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as religious persecution. The government in Abuja have noted that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Missions
Nigerian authorities supplied the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He detailed that he had consulted with his American opposite number, before contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently spoke with the American official again.
“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the operations in Sokoto state had been executed in coordination with local officials.
Context of Conflict in North-West Nigeria
Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this affiliate started when herders banded together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.
Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their core causes lie in disputes for land and water.
- Priests and pastors have been increasingly taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination.
- A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a distinct conflict mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Violence and Data
There have been numerous events of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them affecting civilians, according to conflict monitoring data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the hardest-hit regions.
Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”
Broader American Military Policy
This action comes amid a broader pattern of American engagement overseas during this period. Despite running as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “endless wars,” the initial period of this term has seen strikes in several countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region.
No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the recent airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”