American Signals of Additional Nigerian Strikes as Abuja Talks of 'Joint Continuing Operations'.

The American Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, has signaled new military actions against ISIS positions in north-western Nigeria. This comes hours after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The ex-president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a campaign to halt the killing of Christians.

“The commander-in-chief was clear last month: the murder of defenseless Christians in Nigeria must end,” Hegseth stated on a social media platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS found out tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Thankful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”

Nigeria's Foreign Minister Frames Actions as Joint Operation

Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, said on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This comment came after Trump had previously alleged Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to stop 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 drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as religious persecution. The government in Abuja have noted that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims.

Information and Collaboration Behind the Missions

Nigeria provided the intelligence for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a television network. He detailed that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, before contacted the Nigerian president for authorization, 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 work with other countries, to fight terrorism, to stop the killing of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”

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

Context of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria

Forests in Sokoto state, which is adjacent to Niger, have been used as hideouts by criminal groups and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this affiliate originated when herders joined together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is mostly Muslim.

Conflicts between Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have been exacerbated by ethnicity and religion, but their core causes 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 December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria killed at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate conflict mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.

Ongoing Unrest 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 emphasized that the mission was about “safeguarding Nigerians and innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a joint operation,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”

Broader U.S. Foreign Posture

This intervention occurs amid a wider 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 deployment of forces in another region.

No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the recent airstrikes. When asked if more would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is continuing.”