American Issues Warning of More Nigerian Airstrikes as Abuja Talks of 'Collaborative Continuing Operations'.
The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of new military actions against ISIS targets in north-western Nigeria. This comes hours after U.S. military forces took action against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has characterized these actions as part of a campaign to end 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 platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
Nigeria's Foreign Minister Frames Strikes as Joint Operation
Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint ongoing operations.” This statement followed after the former U.S. leader had earlier accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to prevent Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is constitutionally a non-religious state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims.
Information and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes
Nigeria supplied the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He explained that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, before called the Nigerian president for approval, and then conferred with the American official again.
“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the killing of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom confirmed the operations in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with Nigerian authorities.
Background of Conflict in North-West Nigeria
Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this IS branch originated when herders joined together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.
Clashes between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in disputes for resources.
- Priests and religious leaders have been increasingly taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than religious discrimination.
- A Christmas Eve suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a distinct insurgency mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.
Continuing Unrest and Statistics
There have been thousands of events 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 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.”
Wider U.S. Military Posture
This intervention comes amid a wider pattern of American engagement overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this term has seen strikes in several countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region.
Neither 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 new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
