🔗 Share this article American Issues Warning of More Nigerian Strikes as Nigeria's Capital Talks of 'Joint Continuing Operations'. The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of new military actions against IS positions in northwest Nigeria. This comes hours after American forces took action against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a campaign to halt the slaughter of Christians. “The president was clear previously: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” the defense secretary wrote on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!” The Nigerian Top Diplomat Describes Strikes as Joint Operation Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement came after the former U.S. leader had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to prevent 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 drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Information and Collaboration Preceding the Airstrikes Nigeria provided the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He explained that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, then called the Nigerian president for authorization, and then conferred 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 combat terrorism, to end the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.” The U.S. military’s Africom said the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities. Context of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some observers say this affiliate started when herders banded together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim. Clashes between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in competition for resources. Clergy and religious leaders have been increasingly taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than religious discrimination. 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 separate conflict largely separate to the violence in the north-west. Ongoing Unrest and Statistics There have been thousands of incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them targeting 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 collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.” Broader U.S. Foreign Policy This intervention occurs amid a wider pattern of U.S. military activity 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 several countries and a major deployment of forces in another region. Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of new military actions against IS positions in northwest Nigeria. This comes hours after American forces took action against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a campaign to halt the slaughter of Christians. “The president was clear previously: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” the defense secretary wrote on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!” The Nigerian Top Diplomat Describes Strikes as Joint Operation Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement came after the former U.S. leader had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to prevent 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 drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims. Information and Collaboration Preceding the Airstrikes Nigeria provided the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He explained that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, then called the Nigerian president for authorization, and then conferred 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 combat terrorism, to end the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.” The U.S. military’s Africom said the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities. Context of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some observers say this affiliate started when herders banded together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim. Clashes between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in competition for resources. Clergy and religious leaders have been increasingly taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than religious discrimination. 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 separate conflict largely separate to the violence in the north-west. Ongoing Unrest and Statistics There have been thousands of incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them targeting 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 collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.” Broader U.S. Foreign Policy This intervention occurs amid a wider pattern of U.S. military activity 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 several countries and a major deployment of forces in another region. Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any fatalities in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”