American Issues Warning of Additional Nigeria Airstrikes as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Continuing Operations'.

The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of further airstrikes against Islamic State strongholds in north-western Nigeria. This comes a short time after U.S. military forces took action against insurgent bases. The former president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a campaign to end the killing of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was clear last month: the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end,” the defense secretary posted on a social platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”

Nigeria's Foreign Minister Describes Actions as Collaborative Operation

Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint continuing operations.” This comment came after Trump had earlier accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed.

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

Intelligence and Coordination Behind the Airstrikes

Nigerian authorities supplied the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He detailed that he had spoken with his American opposite number, then called the Nigerian president for authorization, and subsequently spoke with the American official again.

“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “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 killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a collaborative effort.”

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

Background of Conflict in North-West Nigeria

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

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

• Clergy and religious leaders have been increasingly kidnapped for ransom, though some experts say this may be driven more by criminal incentives 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 largely separate 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 half of them targeting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the hardest-hit regions.

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

Broader U.S. Military Posture

This intervention occurs amid a broader pattern of American activity overseas during this period. Despite running as a “candidate of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the first year of this presidency has seen strikes in multiple 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 latest airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a new phase of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”