🔗 Share this article US Warns of Additional Nigerian Military Actions as Abuja Talks of 'Joint Continuing Operations'. The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of additional airstrikes against IS strongholds in north-western Nigeria. This comes a short time after U.S. military forces conducted operations against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a campaign to halt the killing of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was clear last month: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” the defense secretary wrote on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Thankful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!” Nigeria's Top Diplomat Describes Strikes as Collaborative Operation Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint ongoing operations.” This statement followed after Trump had previously accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to prevent Christians from being killed. Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims. Information and Coordination Behind the Airstrikes Nigeria provided the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He explained that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, then called the Nigerian president for authorization, and then spoke with the American official again. “We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the death of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.” The U.S. military’s Africa Command confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with Nigerian authorities. Context of Violence in North-West Nigeria Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by criminal groups and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some analysts say this IS branch originated when pastoralists joined together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim. Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in competition for resources. Priests and religious leaders have been increasingly taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than religious discrimination. A December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate conflict mostly separate to the violence in the north-west. Continuing Unrest and Data There have been numerous 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 most affected regions. Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.” Wider U.S. Military Policy This intervention occurs amid a broader pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “candidate 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 military buildup in another region. No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When questioned if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is continuing.”
The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of additional airstrikes against IS strongholds in north-western Nigeria. This comes a short time after U.S. military forces conducted operations against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a campaign to halt the killing of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was clear last month: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” the defense secretary wrote on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Thankful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!” Nigeria's Top Diplomat Describes Strikes as Collaborative Operation Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint ongoing operations.” This statement followed after Trump had previously accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to prevent Christians from being killed. Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims. Information and Coordination Behind the Airstrikes Nigeria provided the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He explained that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, then called the Nigerian president for authorization, and then spoke with the American official again. “We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the death of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.” The U.S. military’s Africa Command confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with Nigerian authorities. Context of Violence in North-West Nigeria Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by criminal groups and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some analysts say this IS branch originated when pastoralists joined together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim. Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in competition for resources. Priests and religious leaders have been increasingly taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than religious discrimination. A December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate conflict mostly separate to the violence in the north-west. Continuing Unrest and Data There have been numerous 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 most affected regions. Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.” Wider U.S. Military Policy This intervention occurs amid a broader pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “candidate 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 military buildup in another region. No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When questioned if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is continuing.”