🔗 Share this article US Issues Warning of More Nigeria Strikes as Nigeria's Capital Talks of 'Joint Continuing Missions'. The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further military actions against IS strongholds in north-western Nigeria. This follows a short time after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a campaign to halt the slaughter of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was clear previously: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary stated on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!” Nigeria's Top Diplomat Describes Strikes as Joint Operation Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint continuing operations.” This comment followed after Trump had previously accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed. Nigeria is constitutionally a non-religious state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have pointed out that militants attack both Christians and Muslims. Information and Coordination Preceding the Missions Nigerian authorities supplied the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He explained that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, then contacted 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 partner with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to combat terrorism, to end the killing of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.” The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the operations in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with local officials. Context of Conflict in Northwestern Nigeria Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this affiliate started when pastoralists banded together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim. Conflicts between pastoralists and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in disputes for resources. Clergy and pastors have been increasingly taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred. A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a separate insurgency mostly separate to the violence in the north-west. Continuing Unrest and Data There have been numerous incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them affecting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the hardest-hit regions. Tuggar stressed that the operation was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.” Broader U.S. Foreign Policy This action comes amid a broader pattern of American engagement overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this presidency has seen military actions in multiple countries and a significant military buildup in another region. No official from the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When asked if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is continuing.”
The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further military actions against IS strongholds in north-western Nigeria. This follows a short time after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a campaign to halt the slaughter of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was clear previously: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary stated on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!” Nigeria's Top Diplomat Describes Strikes as Joint Operation Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint continuing operations.” This comment followed after Trump had previously accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed. Nigeria is constitutionally a non-religious state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have pointed out that militants attack both Christians and Muslims. Information and Coordination Preceding the Missions Nigerian authorities supplied the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He explained that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, then contacted 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 partner with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to combat terrorism, to end the killing of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.” The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the operations in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with local officials. Context of Conflict in Northwestern Nigeria Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this affiliate started when pastoralists banded together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim. Conflicts between pastoralists and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in disputes for resources. Clergy and pastors have been increasingly taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred. A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a separate insurgency mostly separate to the violence in the north-west. Continuing Unrest and Data There have been numerous incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them affecting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the hardest-hit regions. Tuggar stressed that the operation was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.” Broader U.S. Foreign Policy This action comes amid a broader pattern of American engagement overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this presidency has seen military actions in multiple countries and a significant military buildup in another region. No official from the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When asked if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is continuing.”