🔗 Share this article American Issues Warning of Additional Nigerian Airstrikes as Abuja Speaks of 'Collaborative Ongoing Missions'. The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated additional military actions against Islamic State targets in northwest Nigeria. This follows a short time after American forces launched strikes against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has characterized these actions as part of a mission to end the slaughter of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was explicit previously: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end,” Hegseth stated on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!” The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames Actions as Collaborative Effort Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This comment came after Trump had previously accused Nigeria’s government of failing 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 religious persecution. The government in Abuja have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Intelligence and Collaboration Preceding the Missions Nigerian authorities provided the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, before contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently spoke with the American official again. “We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.” The U.S. military’s Africom said the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in coordination with local officials. Background of Conflict 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 Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some analysts say this affiliate started when pastoralists banded 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 core causes lie in disputes for resources. Priests 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 distinct insurgency largely separate to the violence in the north-west. Ongoing Violence and Data There have been thousands of incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them affecting 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 innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.” Broader American Foreign Posture This intervention comes amid a broader pattern of American activity overseas during this administration. Despite campaigning as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this presidency has seen strikes in several countries and a major 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 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 additional military actions against Islamic State targets in northwest Nigeria. This follows a short time after American forces launched strikes against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has characterized these actions as part of a mission to end the slaughter of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was explicit previously: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end,” Hegseth stated on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!” The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames Actions as Collaborative Effort Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This comment came after Trump had previously accused Nigeria’s government of failing 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 religious persecution. The government in Abuja have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Intelligence and Collaboration Preceding the Missions Nigerian authorities provided the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, before contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently spoke with the American official again. “We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.” The U.S. military’s Africom said the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in coordination with local officials. Background of Conflict 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 Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some analysts say this affiliate started when pastoralists banded 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 core causes lie in disputes for resources. Priests 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 distinct insurgency largely separate to the violence in the north-west. Ongoing Violence and Data There have been thousands of incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them affecting 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 innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.” Broader American Foreign Posture This intervention comes amid a broader pattern of American activity overseas during this administration. Despite campaigning as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this presidency has seen strikes in several countries and a major 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 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.”