🔗 Share this article US Issues Warning of Additional Nigerian Strikes as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Joint Ongoing Missions'. The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated additional military actions against ISIS targets in north-western Nigeria. This follows hours after U.S. military forces launched strikes against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has characterized these actions as part of a campaign to stop the killing of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was clear last month: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary wrote on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!” Nigeria's Top Diplomat Frames Actions as Joint Effort Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This statement followed after Trump had earlier accused Nigeria’s government of failing to prevent Christians from being killed. Nigeria is officially a secular state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Information and Collaboration Preceding the Airstrikes Nigerian authorities supplied the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He detailed that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, before contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and then spoke 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 partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the killing of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.” The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities. Background of Violence in North-West Nigeria Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. 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. Conflicts between Muslim herders and predominantly 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 increasingly been taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than sectarian hatred. A December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a distinct insurgency mostly separate to the violence in the north-west. Ongoing Unrest and Statistics There have been thousands of incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% of them targeting civilians, according to conflict monitoring 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 aimed at any religion.” Wider U.S. Foreign Policy This intervention comes amid a wider pattern of American engagement overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this term has seen military actions in multiple countries and a major military buildup in another region. Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”
The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated additional military actions against ISIS targets in north-western Nigeria. This follows hours after U.S. military forces launched strikes against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has characterized these actions as part of a campaign to stop the killing of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was clear last month: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary wrote on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!” Nigeria's Top Diplomat Frames Actions as Joint Effort Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This statement followed after Trump had earlier accused Nigeria’s government of failing to prevent Christians from being killed. Nigeria is officially a secular state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Information and Collaboration Preceding the Airstrikes Nigerian authorities supplied the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He detailed that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, before contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and then spoke 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 partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the killing of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.” The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities. Background of Violence in North-West Nigeria Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. 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. Conflicts between Muslim herders and predominantly 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 increasingly been taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than sectarian hatred. A December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a distinct insurgency mostly separate to the violence in the north-west. Ongoing Unrest and Statistics There have been thousands of incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% of them targeting civilians, according to conflict monitoring 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 aimed at any religion.” Wider U.S. Foreign Policy This intervention comes amid a wider pattern of American engagement overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this term has seen military actions in multiple countries and a major military buildup in another region. Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”