US Signals of Further Nigeria Airstrikes as Abuja Talks of 'Collaborative Continuing Operations'.
The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated new airstrikes against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria. This follows a short time after American forces launched strikes against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians.
“The president was clear previously: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” the defense secretary wrote on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Grateful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
Nigeria's Foreign Minister Frames Strikes 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 earlier accused Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is constitutionally a non-religious state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have noted that militants target both Christians and Muslims.
Information and Collaboration Behind the Missions
Nigerian authorities provided the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He explained that he had consulted with his American opposite number, then contacted 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 always been hoping for, to work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the killing of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom said the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed in coordination with local officials.
Context of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some observers say this IS branch started when herders joined together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.
Clashes between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their core causes lie in disputes for land and water.
- Clergy and pastors have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, though some experts say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than sectarian hatred.
- A Christmas Eve suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate conflict mostly unrelated to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Unrest and Data
There have been thousands of incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them targeting civilians, according to conflict monitoring 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 one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”
Wider American Military Policy
This action comes amid a wider pattern of American activity overseas during this period. Despite running as a “champion 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 military buildup in another region.
No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is continuing.”
