US Signals of Additional Nigeria Strikes as Abuja Talks of 'Joint Continuing Operations'.

The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of additional strikes against ISIS strongholds in north-western Nigeria. This follows a short time after American forces took action against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a campaign to end the slaughter of Christians.

“The president was clear last month: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end,” Hegseth wrote on a social platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”

Nigeria's Foreign Minister Frames Strikes as Joint Operation

Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint continuing operations.” This statement came after the former U.S. leader had earlier alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has garnered focus from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have noted that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.

Intelligence and Collaboration Preceding the Airstrikes

Nigerian authorities supplied the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He detailed that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, then called the Nigerian president for authorization, and then spoke 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 work with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”

The U.S. military’s Africom confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with local officials.

Context of Violence in North-West Nigeria

Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this affiliate originated when pastoralists banded together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.

Conflicts between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in competition for land and water.

• Clergy and pastors have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, though some experts 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 separate insurgency largely unrelated to the violence in the north-west.

Continuing Unrest and Data

There have been thousands of events of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% of them targeting civilians, according to conflict monitoring data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected regions.

Tuggar emphasized that the operation was about “safeguarding Nigerians and innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”

Broader American Foreign Policy

This intervention comes amid a wider pattern of American activity overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this presidency has seen strikes 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 casualties in the recent airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”