US Issues Warning of Further Nigerian Airstrikes as Abuja Talks of 'Joint Continuing Operations'.

The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has warned of further airstrikes against Islamic State positions in north-western Nigeria. This comes hours after American forces launched strikes against insurgent bases. The ex-president Donald Trump has framed these actions as part of a campaign to halt the slaughter of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was explicit last month: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” the defense secretary posted on a social platform. “The Pentagon is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Grateful for Nigerian government backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”

The Nigerian Foreign Minister Frames Strikes as Joint Operation

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint continuing operations.” This comment came after the former U.S. leader had earlier accused 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 garnered focus 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.

Information and Coordination Behind the Missions

Nigerian authorities provided the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, before contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently conferred with the American official again.

“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar stated. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to work with the Americans, to cooperate with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the death of blameless Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”

The U.S. military’s Africom confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with local officials.

Context of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria

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

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

• Priests and pastors have increasingly been taken hostage, 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 injured dozens more, in a separate insurgency largely separate to the violence in the north-west.

Continuing Unrest and Data

There have been numerous incidents 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 hardest-hit regions.

Tuggar stressed that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”

Wider American Military Policy

This intervention comes amid a wider pattern of U.S. military engagement overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “champion of peace” who promised to withdraw the U.S. from “endless wars,” the first year of this term has seen military actions in multiple countries and a major deployment of forces in another region.

Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any casualties in the latest airstrikes. When questioned 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 continuing.”