US Issues Warning of Further Nigeria Military Actions as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Ongoing Operations'.

The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has signaled new airstrikes against ISIS strongholds in northwest Nigeria. This comes a short time after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has framed these efforts as part of a mission to halt the slaughter of Christians.

“The president was clear last month: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth posted on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”

The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames Strikes as Collaborative Effort

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement followed after the former U.S. leader had earlier alleged Nigeria’s government of failing to prevent Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is officially a secular state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.

Information and Coordination Preceding the Missions

Nigeria provided the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He detailed that he had spoken with his American opposite number, then contacted the Nigerian president for authorization, and then conferred with the American official again.

“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to partner with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to combat terrorism, to end the death of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”

The U.S. military’s Africom said the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in coordination with local officials.

Background of Violence in North-West Nigeria

Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some observers say this IS branch started when herders banded together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.

Clashes between Muslim herders and mostly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by communal and sectarian factors, but their roots lie in disputes for resources.

• Clergy and pastors have increasingly been taken hostage, though some experts say this may be driven more by financial motives than religious discrimination.
• A Christmas Eve suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a distinct insurgency largely unrelated 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 50% of them targeting civilians, according to conflict monitoring data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected regions.

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

Broader American Foreign Posture

This action occurs amid a broader pattern of American engagement overseas during this period. Despite running as a “champion 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 military buildup in another region.

No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When asked 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.”