US Issues Warning of More Nigerian Strikes as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Continuing Operations'.
The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of additional airstrikes against Islamic State positions in northwest Nigeria. This follows a short time after U.S. military forces took action against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has described these actions as part of a campaign to halt the slaughter of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was clear previously: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth wrote on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
Nigeria's Top Diplomat Describes Actions as Collaborative Operation
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint continuing operations.” This statement followed after Trump had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is officially 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 religious persecution. The government in Abuja have pointed out that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.
Information and Coordination Behind the Airstrikes
Nigeria supplied the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He detailed that he had consulted with his American opposite number, before contacted the Nigerian president for authorization, and subsequently conferred 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 work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to end the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africa Command confirmed the operations in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with local officials.
Background of Conflict in North-West Nigeria
Forests 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 herders banded together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.
Conflicts between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by ethnicity and religion, but their core causes lie in disputes for resources.
- 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 suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct conflict mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Unrest and Statistics
There have been numerous incidents 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 “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”
Broader U.S. Foreign Policy
This intervention occurs amid a wider pattern of American engagement overseas during this period. Despite running as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the initial period of this presidency has seen strikes in several countries and a major deployment of forces in another region.
No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
