US Issues Warning of More Nigerian Airstrikes as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Collaborative Continuing Operations'.
The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has signaled additional airstrikes against ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria. This follows hours after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has characterized these efforts as part of a campaign to halt the slaughter of Christians.
“The president was clear previously: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth wrote on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Grateful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Foreign Minister Describes Strikes as Collaborative Effort
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of joint 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 constitutionally a secular 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 pointed out that militants target both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes
Nigerian authorities supplied the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He detailed that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, before called the Nigerian president for authorization, and subsequently spoke with the American official again.
“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve long desired, to work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to end the killing of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with Nigerian authorities.
Background of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria
Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some analysts say this affiliate originated when pastoralists joined together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.
Clashes between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their core causes lie in disputes for resources.
- Clergy and pastors have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, though some specialists say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than sectarian hatred.
- A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a distinct insurgency mostly unrelated to the violence in the north-west.
Continuing Violence and Statistics
There have been thousands of events 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 hardest-hit regions.
Tuggar stressed that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not one religion. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Broader U.S. Military Policy
This intervention comes amid a wider pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” 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 casualties in the recent airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is continuing.”
