🔗 Share this article US Issues Warning of More Nigeria Airstrikes as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Collaborative Continuing Operations'. The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled new military actions against Islamic State strongholds in northwest Nigeria. This follows a short time after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians. “The president was clear previously: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary posted on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Grateful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!” Nigeria's Foreign Minister Describes Actions as Joint Effort Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint ongoing operations.” This comment followed after the former U.S. leader had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed. Nigeria is officially a secular 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 frame it as religious persecution. The government in Abuja have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Intelligence and Coordination Behind the Airstrikes Nigeria provided the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He detailed that he had spoken with his American opposite number, then called the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently conferred 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 work with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.” The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities. Background of Conflict in North-West Nigeria Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this IS branch originated when herders banded together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim. Clashes between pastoralists and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in disputes for resources. Priests and pastors have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, though some experts 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 wounded dozens more, in a distinct conflict largely unrelated to the violence in the north-west. Continuing Violence and Statistics There have been numerous events 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 operation was about “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.” Wider U.S. Foreign Policy This intervention comes amid a broader pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this administration. Despite campaigning as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this term has seen military actions in multiple countries and a significant military buildup in another region. No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions 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 signaled new military actions against Islamic State strongholds in northwest Nigeria. This follows a short time after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians. “The president was clear previously: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary posted on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Grateful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!” Nigeria's Foreign Minister Describes Actions as Joint Effort Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint ongoing operations.” This comment followed after the former U.S. leader had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed. Nigeria is officially a secular 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 frame it as religious persecution. The government in Abuja have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Intelligence and Coordination Behind the Airstrikes Nigeria provided the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He detailed that he had spoken with his American opposite number, then called the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently conferred 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 work with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.” The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities. Background of Conflict in North-West Nigeria Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this IS branch originated when herders banded together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim. Clashes between pastoralists and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in disputes for resources. Priests and pastors have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, though some experts 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 wounded dozens more, in a distinct conflict largely unrelated to the violence in the north-west. Continuing Violence and Statistics There have been numerous events 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 operation was about “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.” Wider U.S. Foreign Policy This intervention comes amid a broader pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this administration. Despite campaigning as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this term has seen military actions in multiple countries and a significant military buildup in another region. No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”