US Signals of Further Nigeria Airstrikes as Nigeria's Capital Talks of 'Collaborative Ongoing Operations'.

The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled additional military actions against Islamic State targets in northwest Nigeria. This follows a short time after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a mission to end the slaughter of Christians.

“The president was explicit previously: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” Hegseth posted on a social media 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 foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This statement followed after Trump had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to prevent Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is officially a non-religious state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has garnered focus from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have noted that militants target both Christians and Muslims.

Information and Collaboration Preceding the Missions

Nigeria provided the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He explained that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, then 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 partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”

The U.S. military’s Africom confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed in coordination with local officials.

Background of Conflict in North-West Nigeria

Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this affiliate started when pastoralists banded together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.

Clashes between pastoralists and mostly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their core causes lie in disputes for resources.

• Priests and religious leaders have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination.
• A December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and injured dozens more, in a separate conflict largely separate to the violence in the north-west.

Continuing Violence and Statistics

There have been thousands of incidents 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 hardest-hit regions.

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

Broader American Military Policy

This action comes amid a broader pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this administration. Despite campaigning as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this term has seen military actions in multiple countries and a major military buildup in another region.

No official from 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.”