American Issues Warning of Further Nigerian Military Actions as Nigeria's Capital Talks of 'Joint Ongoing Operations'.

The U.S. Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has indicated new military actions against IS strongholds in north-western Nigeria. This follows hours after American forces launched strikes against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has characterized these actions as part of a campaign to end the killing of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was explicit last month: the killing of defenseless Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” the defense secretary stated on a social platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. Additional actions will follow … Thankful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”

Nigeria's Top Diplomat Describes Strikes as Collaborative Effort

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the U.S. strikes were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This statement followed after the former U.S. leader had earlier accused Nigeria’s government of failing to stop Christians from being killed.

Nigeria is constitutionally a non-religious state with a population nearly divided between Muslims and Christians. Violence against Christians has drawn attention from religious groups in the United States, who describe it as religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have pointed out that armed groups attack both Christians and Muslims.

Intelligence and Coordination Behind the Airstrikes

Nigerian authorities supplied the information for the strikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a television network. He explained that he had consulted with his American opposite number, before called the Nigerian president for authorization, 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 partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the death of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”

The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in concert with Nigerian authorities.

Background of Violence in North-West Nigeria

Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this affiliate originated when pastoralists joined together to combat bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.

Clashes between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by communal and sectarian factors, but their core causes lie in disputes for land and water.

• Priests and religious leaders have increasingly been kidnapped for ransom, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred.
• A December 24th attack at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and injured dozens more, in a separate conflict largely unrelated to the violence in the north-west.

Continuing Violence and Statistics

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 operation was about “safeguarding Nigerians and innocent lives,” not one religion. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not aimed at any religion.”

Wider American Military Posture

This action comes amid a wider pattern of U.S. military activity overseas during this period. Despite running as a “candidate 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 deployment of forces in another region.

Neither the U.S. or Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When asked 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.”