🔗 Share this article American Warns of Additional Nigeria Airstrikes as Abuja Talks of 'Collaborative Continuing Operations'. The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has warned of new airstrikes against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria. This comes a short time after American forces conducted operations against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has characterized these actions as part of a mission to end the slaughter of Christians. “The president was explicit last month: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary wrote on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!” Nigeria's Foreign Minister Describes Actions as Collaborative Operation Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This comment followed 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 nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims. Intelligence and Coordination Preceding the Missions Nigerian authorities provided the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, then contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and then conferred with the American official again. “We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.” The U.S. military’s Africom said the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed in coordination with local officials. Context of Conflict in Northwestern Nigeria Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some observers say this affiliate originated when herders joined together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim. Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in competition for land and water. Clergy and religious leaders have increasingly been taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than sectarian hatred. A Christmas Eve 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 Statistics There have been thousands of incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them targeting 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 aimed at any religion.” Broader U.S. Military Posture This action occurs amid a wider pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this administration. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the initial period of this presidency has seen strikes in multiple countries and a major military buildup in another region. Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the latest airstrikes. When questioned 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 ongoing.”
The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has warned of new airstrikes against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria. This comes a short time after American forces conducted operations against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has characterized these actions as part of a mission to end the slaughter of Christians. “The president was explicit last month: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” the defense secretary wrote on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!” Nigeria's Foreign Minister Describes Actions as Collaborative Operation Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This comment followed 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 nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims. Intelligence and Coordination Preceding the Missions Nigerian authorities provided the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, then contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and then conferred with the American official again. “We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.” The U.S. military’s Africom said the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed in coordination with local officials. Context of Conflict in Northwestern Nigeria Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some observers say this affiliate originated when herders joined together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim. Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in competition for land and water. Clergy and religious leaders have increasingly been taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than sectarian hatred. A Christmas Eve 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 Statistics There have been thousands of incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them targeting 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 aimed at any religion.” Broader U.S. Military Posture This action occurs amid a wider pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this administration. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the initial period of this presidency has seen strikes in multiple countries and a major military buildup in another region. Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the latest airstrikes. When questioned 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 ongoing.”