🔗 Share this article American Issues Warning of More Nigerian Airstrikes as Nigeria's Capital Talks of 'Collaborative Continuing Missions'. The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further strikes against ISIS targets in north-western Nigeria. This follows a short time after American forces took action against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a mission to stop the slaughter of Christians. “The president was explicit previously: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary posted on a social platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!” The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames Actions as Joint Operation Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This comment followed after the former U.S. leader 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 garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that militants attack both Christians and Muslims. Information and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes Nigeria provided the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He explained that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, then called the Nigerian president for authorization, and then conferred with the American official again. “We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner 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 operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities. Context of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some analysts say this affiliate started when pastoralists banded together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim. Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in competition for land and water. Priests and pastors have increasingly been taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination. A December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct conflict mostly unrelated to the violence in the north-west. Ongoing Violence and Data There have been thousands of incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them targeting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected regions. Tuggar stressed that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.” Wider U.S. Military Policy This action occurs amid a wider pattern of American engagement overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this term has seen military actions in multiple countries and a significant 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 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.”
The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further strikes against ISIS targets in north-western Nigeria. This follows a short time after American forces took action against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a mission to stop the slaughter of Christians. “The president was explicit previously: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary posted on a social platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!” The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames Actions as Joint Operation Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This comment followed after the former U.S. leader 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 garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that militants attack both Christians and Muslims. Information and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes Nigeria provided the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He explained that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, then called the Nigerian president for authorization, and then conferred with the American official again. “We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner 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 operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities. Context of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some analysts say this affiliate started when pastoralists banded together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim. Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in competition for land and water. Priests and pastors have increasingly been taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination. A December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct conflict mostly unrelated to the violence in the north-west. Ongoing Violence and Data There have been thousands of incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them targeting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected regions. Tuggar stressed that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.” Wider U.S. Military Policy This action occurs amid a wider pattern of American engagement overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this term has seen military actions in multiple countries and a significant 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 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.”