American Issues Warning of Further Nigeria Airstrikes as Nigeria's Capital Talks of 'Joint Continuing Missions'.
The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated additional airstrikes against ISIS strongholds in northwest Nigeria. This follows hours after U.S. military forces took action against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians.
“The president was clear previously: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth wrote on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Grateful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
Nigeria's Top Diplomat Describes Strikes as Joint Effort
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint ongoing 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 officially a non-religious state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have pointed out that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims.
Information and Collaboration Preceding the Airstrikes
Nigeria supplied the information for the airstrikes 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 authorization, and then conferred with the American official again.
“We have been collaborating extensively 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 combat terrorism, to end the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with local officials.
Context of Violence 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 analysts say this IS branch originated when herders banded together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.
Conflicts between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in competition for resources.
- Priests and pastors have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred.
- A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate conflict mostly unrelated to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Unrest and Statistics
There have been thousands of 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 stressed that the operation was about “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Wider American Foreign Policy
This action occurs amid a wider pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the initial period of this term has seen strikes in multiple countries and a major military buildup in another region.
Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When asked if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”