ABUJA, Nigeria. – The American President, Donald Trumpsaid Thursday that the United States had launched a “powerful and deadly” attack against the forces of the Islamic State (IS or ISIS) in northwest Nigeriaafter weeks of accusing the government of the West African country of failing to stop the persecution of Christians on its territory.
In a post on his social network Truth Social on Christmas Eve, Trump did not provide any information about the attacks in Sokoto state or the extent of the attacks. However, he said they were carried out against militants. “who attack and murder in cruel ways, mainly to innocent Christians”. Residents and security analysts have noted this The security crisis in Nigeria affects both the Christians and Muslims who predominate in the south. who form the majority in the north.
The US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegsethalso gave no information about the attack and limited himself to writing in X: “More information coming soon…”.
This is what is known so far about the North American military operation in Africa’s most populous country.
Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry said the attack was carried out as part of security cooperation with the United StatesThis includes information sharing and strategic coordination to attack militant groups.
“This has resulted in precision strikes against terror targets in Nigeria by air raids in the northwest“, explained the ministry in a publication in X.
At least that’s what a video released by the Pentagon showed a projectile fired from a warship. A North American defense official stated that it was the attack Several terrorists in known ISIS camps were targeted.
Hegseth for his part, thanked the Nigerian government in X for their support and cooperationand added: “There will be more…”. However, authorities provided few details about the operation and it was unclear how many people were killed in the attack.
The offensive was welcomed by some sectors but criticized by others as an escalation of religious tensions in the country. where there have been outbreaks of sectarian violence in the past.
Parts of the country have long suffered from violence from extremist groups, including Boko Haraman Islamist terrorist group based in northeastern Nigeria that attacked Both Christians and Muslims, whom he considers not faithful enough.
A splinter group of Boko Haram Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP)has carried out similar and lesser-known attacks in the northeast Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) known locally as Lakurawa, in the northwest.
Although authorities did not specify which group was attacked, security analysts said that if the targets were indeed Islamic State militants, they were likely members of that group Lakurawa, which has become deadlier in border states such as Sokoto and Kebbi over the past yearRemote communities and security forces are often attacked.
The Nigerian military has indicated in the past that the group has roots in neighboring Niger. and which became more active in Nigeria’s border communities following a military coup in 2023. This coup resulted in a rupture in relations between Nigeria and Niger and affected their multinational military operations along the porous border.
In early November, Trump said that if the Nigerian government continued to “allow the killing of Christians, The United States would immediately cease all aid and support to Nigeria and he could well enter this discredited country “by gunfire.”
A day earlier, the Trump administration said this would restore Nigeria as a “country of special importance.”a designation applied by the United States government to nations over which it is responsible “serious violations of religious freedom”. Trump took a similar action in 2020 near the end of his first term in office, which was reversed during the former president’s term. Joe Biden.
Nigeria, home to around 220 million people, has a large population of Christians and Muslims.
A report from 2024 says United States Commission on International Religious Freedom noted that extremist violence in Nigeria “affects large numbers of Christians and Muslims in several states”.
Several analysts have pointed this out Lakurawa has been active in northwest Nigeria since around 2017when he was invited by the traditional authorities in Sokoto to protect their communities from bandit groups.
However, the militants “stayed longer than permitted and clashed with some community leaders…” and enforcing a strict interpretation of Sharia law “That alienated a large part of the rural population,” it is said James Barnettan African researcher at the Hudson Institute in Washington.
“The communities are now saying this openly Lakurawa is more oppressive and dangerous than the bandits from those who supposedly protect them,” it says Malik SamuelNigerian security researcher at Good Governance Africa.
Lakurawa controls areas in Sokoto and Kebbi statesand became known for murders, kidnappings, rapes and armed robberies, Samuel said.
But some of the attacks attributed to Lakurawa are actually the work of ISSPwhich, according to the US project, has spread from the Dosso region in Niger to northwestern Nigeria Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project.
“ISSP has held back, operates in secret to penetrate and consolidate along the border between Niger and Nigeria and is now expanding its activities towards the border with Benin,” says a recent report from the project.
There were also repetitions Deadly clashes broke out between herders and farmers in central Nigeriaas the struggle for scarce resources creates historical tensions related to religion and ethnicity. Shepherds are often Fulani and Muslim, while farmers are often Christian. Some conflicts are simply a result of armed men seizing land. In addition, there is a significant kidnapping for ransom industry in northwestern Nigeria.
The Nigerian government has rejected Trump’s allegations that he allowed the killing of Christians. The Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubuhe said on Saturday The country remains committed to protecting religious freedom.
“Nigeria stands firm a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious freedomTinubu wrote on social media.
The characterization of Nigeria “Because it is religiously intolerant, it does not reflect our national reality.”he added in a statement, citing what he said were the government’s ongoing efforts to protect freedom of religion and belief for all Nigerians.
However, the government announced this Friday that provided the US with information about members of the jihadist group before the attacks in the northwest of the country.
This was specified by Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar Shortly before the attack, he phoned US Secretary of State Marco Rubio twice. He added that President Bola Tinubu had given the “green light” for American attacks and that there could be more such bombings.
“It’s an ongoing process and We work with the United States. “We also work with other countries,” he said.
AP and Reuters agencies and newspapers The New York Times
About The Author
