US Issues Warning of Further Nigeria Strikes as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Ongoing Missions'.
The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated new strikes against ISIS targets in north-western Nigeria. This follows hours after American forces launched strikes against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has characterized these efforts as part of a mission to halt the slaughter of Christians.
“The commander-in-chief was clear previously: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” Hegseth posted on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Grateful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
Nigeria's Top Diplomat Frames Strikes as Joint Effort
Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of joint ongoing operations.” This statement came after Trump had previously accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to prevent 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. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that militants attack both Christians and Muslims.
Intelligence and Coordination Behind the Airstrikes
Nigeria supplied the intelligence for the strikes 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 spoke 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 fight terrorism, to end the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom said the operations in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with Nigerian authorities.
Background of Violence in North-West Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some analysts say this IS branch originated when pastoralists 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 exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in competition for resources.
- Priests and religious leaders have increasingly been taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than religious discrimination.
- A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate insurgency largely unrelated to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Violence and Data
There have been numerous events 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 emphasized that the mission was about “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not a single faith. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”
Broader U.S. Military Posture
This intervention comes amid a wider pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this period. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this presidency has seen military actions in several countries and a major deployment of forces in another region.
Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When asked if additional actions would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”
