🔗 Share this article US Warns of Additional Nigeria Strikes as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Joint Continuing Missions'. The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further strikes against ISIS positions in northwest Nigeria. This comes hours after American forces launched strikes against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has described these actions as part of a mission to end the killing of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was explicit previously: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary wrote on a social platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Grateful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!” The Nigerian Foreign Minister Describes Strikes as Collaborative Effort Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement came after the former U.S. leader had earlier accused 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. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have pointed out that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Missions Nigeria supplied the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He explained that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, then called the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently spoke with the American official again. “We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve long desired, to work with the Americans, to work 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 operations in Sokoto state had been executed in coordination with local officials. Context of Violence in North-West Nigeria Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some analysts say this affiliate started when pastoralists joined together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim. Conflicts between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in disputes for land and water. Priests and religious leaders have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, 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 took the lives of at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct insurgency mostly unrelated 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 emphasized that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and civilians,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.” Wider American Foreign Posture This action comes amid a wider pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this period. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the first year of this presidency has seen military actions in several countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region. Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled further strikes against ISIS positions in northwest Nigeria. This comes hours after American forces launched strikes against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has described these actions as part of a mission to end the killing of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was explicit previously: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary wrote on a social platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Grateful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!” The Nigerian Foreign Minister Describes Strikes as Collaborative Effort Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement came after the former U.S. leader had earlier accused 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. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have pointed out that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Missions Nigeria supplied the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He explained that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, then called the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently spoke with the American official again. “We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve long desired, to work with the Americans, to work 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 operations in Sokoto state had been executed in coordination with local officials. Context of Violence in North-West Nigeria Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some analysts say this affiliate started when pastoralists joined together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim. Conflicts between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in disputes for land and water. Priests and religious leaders have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, 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 took the lives of at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct insurgency mostly unrelated 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 emphasized that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and civilians,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.” Wider American Foreign Posture This action comes amid a wider pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this period. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the first year of this presidency has seen military actions in several countries and a significant deployment of forces in another region. Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”