US Signals of Further Nigeria Strikes as Nigeria's Capital Talks of 'Collaborative Continuing Missions'.
The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled additional strikes against Islamic State targets in northwest Nigeria. This follows a short time after American forces launched strikes against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was clear previously: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end,” Hegseth posted on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Grateful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames Actions as Collaborative Operation
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This statement followed after Trump had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is officially a secular state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who frame it as religious persecution. The government in Abuja have pointed out that militants target both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Coordination Preceding the Missions
Nigerian authorities supplied the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had spoken with his American opposite number, before contacted the Nigerian president for authorization, and subsequently spoke with the American official again.
“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom said the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with local officials.
Background of Violence in North-West 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 observers say this IS branch originated when pastoralists joined together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.
Clashes between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in disputes for land and water.
- Clergy and religious leaders have been increasingly taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination.
- 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 separate insurgency largely unrelated to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Violence and Statistics
There have been numerous incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% of them targeting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the hardest-hit regions.
Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Broader U.S. Foreign Policy
This action comes amid a wider pattern of American engagement overseas during this period. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the first year of this presidency has seen military actions in several countries and a major deployment of forces 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 continuing.”
