American Signals of Further Nigeria Airstrikes as Abuja Talks of 'Collaborative Ongoing Operations'.
The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated additional airstrikes against IS targets in northwest Nigeria. This comes hours after American forces launched strikes against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a mission to halt the slaughter of Christians.
“The president was clear previously: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” the defense secretary posted on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Top Diplomat Describes Actions as Collaborative Effort
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement came after the former U.S. leader had earlier alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop 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 describe it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.
Information and Collaboration Behind the Missions
Nigerian authorities supplied the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He explained that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, before called the Nigerian president for authorization, and then conferred with the American official again.
“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the killing of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Background of Conflict in North-West Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this IS branch started when pastoralists banded together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.
Conflicts between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in disputes for resources.
- Priests and religious leaders have increasingly been taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred.
- A Christmas Eve attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct conflict mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Violence and Data
There have been numerous events 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 most affected regions.
Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and civilians,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Wider American Foreign Posture
This action occurs amid a broader pattern of American engagement overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “endless wars,” the initial period of this term has seen strikes in several countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region.
No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When asked 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.”
