🔗 Share this article US Warns of Additional Nigerian Airstrikes as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Joint Continuing Operations'. The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated further airstrikes against IS positions in north-western Nigeria. This comes hours after American forces conducted operations against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has characterized these efforts as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was clear previously: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary posted on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!” Nigeria's Top Diplomat Frames Strikes as Collaborative Effort Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement came after Trump had earlier alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed. Nigeria is officially a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes Nigerian authorities supplied the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, then contacted the Nigerian president for authorization, and subsequently spoke with the American official again. “We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to work with the Americans, to cooperate 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 operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in coordination with local officials. Background of Conflict 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 originated when pastoralists joined together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim. Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in competition for resources. Clergy and religious leaders have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, though some experts say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred. A December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a separate conflict largely unrelated to the violence in the north-west. Continuing Violence and Data There have been numerous events 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 hardest-hit 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 aimed at any religion.” Wider U.S. Military Posture This action occurs amid a broader pattern of U.S. military 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 military buildup in another region. No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated further airstrikes against IS positions in north-western Nigeria. This comes hours after American forces conducted operations against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has characterized these efforts as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was clear previously: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary posted on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!” Nigeria's Top Diplomat Frames Strikes as Collaborative Effort Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement came after Trump had earlier alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed. Nigeria is officially a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes Nigerian authorities supplied the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, then contacted the Nigerian president for authorization, and subsequently spoke with the American official again. “We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to work with the Americans, to cooperate 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 operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in coordination with local officials. Background of Conflict 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 originated when pastoralists joined together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim. Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in competition for resources. Clergy and religious leaders have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, though some experts say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred. A December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a separate conflict largely unrelated to the violence in the north-west. Continuing Violence and Data There have been numerous events 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 hardest-hit 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 aimed at any religion.” Wider U.S. Military Posture This action occurs amid a broader pattern of U.S. military 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 military buildup in another region. No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”