US Signals of Additional Nigerian Military Actions as Nigeria's Capital Talks of 'Collaborative Continuing Missions'.
The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further airstrikes against ISIS strongholds in northwest Nigeria. This follows a short time after U.S. military forces took action against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a campaign to halt the killing of Christians.
“The president was explicit previously: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary stated on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Grateful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
Nigeria's Top Diplomat Describes Actions as Joint Operation
Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement came after Trump had previously accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is officially a non-religious 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. The government in Abuja have noted that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.
Information and Coordination Preceding the Missions
Nigeria provided the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He explained that he had spoken with his American opposite number, then called the Nigerian president for authorization, and then spoke with the American official again.
“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “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 death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africa Command confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Context of Violence in North-West Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this IS branch started when pastoralists joined together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.
Conflicts between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in disputes for resources.
- Clergy and pastors have been increasingly taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than religious discrimination.
- A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate insurgency largely separate to the violence in the north-west.
Ongoing Violence and Statistics
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 hardest-hit regions.
Tuggar stressed that the operation was about “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”
Broader U.S. Foreign Posture
This action comes amid a broader pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this period. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “endless wars,” the initial period of this term has seen military actions in several countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region.
Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the recent airstrikes. When questioned if more would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”
