American Warns of Additional Nigerian Military Actions as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Ongoing Operations'.

The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated new airstrikes against Islamic State strongholds in northwest Nigeria. This follows hours after American forces launched strikes against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has described these actions as part of a campaign to end the slaughter of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was explicit last month: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary posted on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”

The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames Strikes as Joint Effort

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of joint continuing operations.” This statement came after the former U.S. leader had earlier accused Nigeria’s government of failing to prevent Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is officially 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 militants target both Christians and Muslims.

Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Missions

Nigeria provided the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He explained that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, before called the Nigerian president for authorization, and then conferred with the American official again.

“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve long desired, to work with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”

The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the operations in Sokoto state had been executed in coordination with Nigerian authorities.

Context 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 fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.

Clashes between pastoralists and mostly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in disputes for land and water.

• Clergy and pastors have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, though some experts say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred.
• A Christmas Eve suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate conflict mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.

Continuing Unrest and Data

There have been thousands of incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about half of them affecting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected 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 targeting any religion.”

Broader U.S. Foreign Policy

This action occurs amid a wider pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this period. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the first year of this presidency has seen military actions in several countries and a major deployment of forces in another region.

Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties in the recent airstrikes. When asked if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”