US Signals of Further Nigerian Strikes as Nigeria's Capital Talks of 'Joint Continuing Operations'.

The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of further airstrikes against ISIS targets in north-western Nigeria. This comes a short time after American forces launched strikes against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has characterized these actions as part of a mission to end the killing of Christians.

“The president was explicit last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” the defense secretary wrote on a social platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Grateful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”

Nigeria's Top Diplomat Frames Strikes as Joint Operation

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This statement came after Trump had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.

Intelligence and Collaboration Preceding the Airstrikes

Nigeria supplied the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had consulted with his American opposite number, then called the Nigerian president for authorization, and then conferred with the American official again.

“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to partner with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”

The U.S. military’s Africa Command confirmed the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities.

Background of Conflict in North-West Nigeria

Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this IS branch originated when herders joined together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.

Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by ethnicity and religion, but their core causes lie in competition for resources.

• Priests and pastors have increasingly been taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives 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 insurgency largely unrelated to the violence in the north-west.

Continuing Unrest and Data

There have been numerous incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% 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 civilians,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”

Broader American Foreign Policy

This intervention comes amid a broader pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this term has seen military actions in multiple countries and a significant military buildup in another region.

No official from the U.S. or 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 new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”