US Signals of Further Nigerian Strikes as Abuja Talks of 'Joint Ongoing Operations'.

The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has indicated additional strikes against IS positions in northwest Nigeria. This comes hours after American forces launched strikes against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a mission to stop the slaughter of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was clear previously: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth stated on a social platform. “The Department of Defense is always ready, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”

The Nigerian Foreign Minister Describes Strikes as Collaborative Operation

Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of joint continuing operations.” This comment followed after the former U.S. leader had previously accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is constitutionally 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 describe it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have noted that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.

Intelligence and Coordination Preceding the Airstrikes

Nigerian authorities provided the intelligence for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He detailed that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, then contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently spoke with the American official again.

“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve long desired, to work with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to fight terrorism, to end the killing of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”

The U.S. military’s Africa Command said 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 bases by gangs of armed bandits and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this affiliate originated when herders joined together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.

Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, 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 financial motives than sectarian hatred.
• A Christmas Eve suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate insurgency largely separate to the violence in the north-west.

Ongoing Violence and Data

There have been thousands of events of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% 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 “safeguarding Nigerians and civilians,” not a single faith. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”

Broader U.S. Military Policy

This intervention comes amid a broader pattern of American activity overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this presidency has seen strikes in several countries and a major military buildup in another region.

Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have disclosed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar replied: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is continuing.”