US Signals of Further Nigeria Strikes as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Continuing Operations'.

The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated further airstrikes against Islamic State positions in northwest Nigeria. This follows hours after U.S. military forces launched strikes against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end,” Hegseth posted on a social platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. More to come … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”

The Nigerian Foreign Minister Describes Strikes as Joint Effort

Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative ongoing operations.” This comment followed after Trump had earlier alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to prevent Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is constitutionally a non-religious state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who describe it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims.

Intelligence and Collaboration Preceding the Missions

Nigeria supplied the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He explained that he had consulted with his American opposite number, before contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently spoke with the American official again.

“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “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 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 Nigerian authorities.

Background of Conflict in Northwestern Nigeria

Forests 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 analysts say this affiliate originated when pastoralists banded together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.

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

• Priests and religious leaders have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, though some experts say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred.
• A Christmas Eve attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate conflict mostly unrelated to the violence in the north-west.

Continuing Violence and Statistics

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

Tuggar stressed that the operation was about “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”

Wider U.S. Military Posture

This action occurs amid a wider pattern of American activity overseas during this period. Despite running as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this term has seen military actions in several countries and a major deployment of forces in another region.

Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”