🔗 Share this article US Warns of Additional Nigerian Military Actions as Nigeria's Capital Talks of 'Joint Continuing Missions'. The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has indicated new strikes against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria. This comes hours after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has described these actions as part of a mission to end the slaughter of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was explicit previously: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary wrote on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!” The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames 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 comment came after Trump had earlier accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed. Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Intelligence and Coordination Behind the Missions Nigerian authorities provided the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He explained that he had spoken with his American opposite number, then called the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently spoke with the American official again. “We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the death of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.” The U.S. military’s Africom said the operations in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with local officials. Context of Conflict in North-West Nigeria Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some observers say this IS branch originated when herders joined together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim. Conflicts between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in disputes for land and water. Priests and religious leaders have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, though some specialists say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than religious discrimination. A Christmas Eve attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate conflict largely unrelated to the violence in the north-west. Ongoing Unrest and Data There have been thousands of 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 operation was about “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.” Broader U.S. Foreign Policy This action comes amid a wider pattern of American activity overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this presidency has seen military actions in several countries and a major military buildup in another region. No official from the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if more would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has indicated new strikes against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria. This comes hours after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has described these actions as part of a mission to end the slaughter of Christians. “The commander-in-chief was explicit previously: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary wrote on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!” The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames 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 comment came after Trump had earlier accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed. Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Intelligence and Coordination Behind the Missions Nigerian authorities provided the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He explained that he had spoken with his American opposite number, then called the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently spoke with the American official again. “We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve long desired, to partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the death of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.” The U.S. military’s Africom said the operations in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with local officials. Context of Conflict in North-West Nigeria Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some observers say this IS branch originated when herders joined together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim. Conflicts between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in disputes for land and water. Priests and religious leaders have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, though some specialists say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than religious discrimination. A Christmas Eve attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate conflict largely unrelated to the violence in the north-west. Ongoing Unrest and Data There have been thousands of 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 operation was about “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.” Broader U.S. Foreign Policy This action comes amid a wider pattern of American activity overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this presidency has seen military actions in several countries and a major military buildup in another region. No official from the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if more would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”