US Signals of Additional Nigeria Strikes as Nigeria's Capital Speaks of 'Joint Continuing Operations'.

The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of new military actions against ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria. This comes hours after American forces took action against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has described these actions as part of a mission to end the slaughter of Christians.

“The president was explicit last month: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” Hegseth stated on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”

Nigeria's Top Diplomat Frames Actions as Joint Operation

Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of joint continuing operations.” This comment 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 secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.

Intelligence and Collaboration Behind the Airstrikes

Nigerian authorities supplied the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He detailed that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, before contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently conferred with the American official again.

“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve long desired, to work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the killing of blameless Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”

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

Context of Conflict in Northwestern Nigeria

Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some observers say this affiliate started when herders joined together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.

Conflicts between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in competition for land and water.

• Priests and religious leaders have increasingly been taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by criminal incentives than religious discrimination.
• A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and injured dozens more, in a distinct conflict mostly unrelated to the violence in the north-west.

Continuing Violence and Statistics

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

Tuggar emphasized that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not one religion. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”

Broader U.S. Foreign Policy

This intervention comes amid a broader pattern of American activity overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” 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 latest 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.”