US Signals of More Nigeria Military Actions as Abuja Talks of 'Joint Ongoing Missions'.

The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated additional airstrikes against ISIS positions in north-western Nigeria. This follows hours after American forces conducted operations against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a mission to stop the killing of Christians.

“The president was explicit last month: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” Hegseth stated on a social platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered 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 top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of joint ongoing operations.” This comment 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 non-religious state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has garnered focus from religious groups in the United States, who frame it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that militants attack both Christians and Muslims.

Information and Coordination Behind the Missions

Nigeria supplied the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He explained that he had consulted with his American opposite number, before contacted the Nigerian president for authorization, and subsequently conferred with the American official again.

“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to work 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 Africa Command said the operations in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with local officials.

Background of Violence in North-West Nigeria

Wooded areas in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as bases by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this IS branch started when herders joined together to combat bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.

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

• Priests and religious leaders have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, though some experts say this may be driven more by criminal incentives 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 mostly unrelated to the violence in the north-west.

Ongoing 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 mission was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not one religion. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”

Wider American Military Policy

This action occurs amid a broader pattern of American engagement overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the initial period of this presidency has seen military actions in multiple countries and a major military buildup in another region.

No official from the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When asked if additional actions would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is continuing.”