American Signals of Additional Nigerian Airstrikes as Nigeria's Capital Talks of 'Joint Continuing Operations'.
The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has indicated new airstrikes against Islamic State positions in northwest Nigeria. This comes hours after U.S. military forces conducted operations against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has characterized these efforts as part of a campaign to end the killing of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was clear previously: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” the defense secretary wrote on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Thankful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Top Diplomat Describes Actions as Collaborative Operation
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint continuing operations.” This statement came after Trump had previously accused Nigeria’s government of failing 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 describe it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that militants target both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Coordination Behind the Missions
Nigerian authorities supplied the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, before called the Nigerian president for approval, and then spoke with the American official again.
“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the death of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom said the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities.
Context of Violence in North-West Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some observers say this affiliate originated when herders joined together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.
Conflicts between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in competition for resources.
- Clergy and religious leaders have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, though some experts 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 insurgency largely separate to the violence in the north-west.
Continuing Unrest and Statistics
There have been numerous incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them targeting civilians, according to conflict monitoring 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 one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Broader American Military Posture
This intervention comes amid a wider pattern of American activity overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “candidate 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 military buildup in another region.
No official from the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the latest airstrikes. When questioned 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.”
