American Warns of Additional Nigeria Military Actions as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Continuing Operations'.
The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of new strikes against ISIS targets in north-western Nigeria. This follows hours after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has described these actions as part of a mission to end the slaughter of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was explicit last month: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary posted on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Grateful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
Nigeria's Top Diplomat Frames Strikes as Collaborative Operation
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint continuing operations.” This comment followed after Trump had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to prevent Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is officially a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that militants attack both Christians and Muslims.
Information and Collaboration Preceding the Airstrikes
Nigerian authorities provided the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had consulted with his American opposite number, before contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently conferred 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 work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with local officials.
Background of Conflict in Northwestern Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some observers say this affiliate started when pastoralists joined together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.
Conflicts between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in competition for resources.
- Priests and religious leaders have been increasingly taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination.
- A December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct insurgency largely unrelated to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Unrest and Statistics
There have been numerous incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them affecting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the hardest-hit regions.
Tuggar emphasized that the operation was about “protecting Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Wider U.S. Foreign Policy
This action comes amid a wider pattern of American activity overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the first year of this term has seen military actions in several countries and a major military buildup in another region.
Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
