American Warns of More Nigeria Strikes as Abuja Talks of 'Collaborative Continuing Operations'.

The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has warned of further airstrikes against IS positions in northwest Nigeria. This follows hours after U.S. military forces took action against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has characterized these efforts as part of a campaign to halt the killing of Christians.

“The president was clear previously: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria has to stop,” Hegseth posted on a social media platform. “The Department of Defense is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Grateful for Abuja's support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”

The Nigerian Top Diplomat Frames Actions as Collaborative Effort

Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, remarked on Friday that the American military actions were “part of collaborative continuing operations.” This comment followed after the former U.S. leader had previously alleged 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 drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as religious persecution. The government in Abuja have pointed out that armed groups target both Christians and Muslims.

Information and Coordination Behind the Airstrikes

Nigerian authorities supplied the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar told a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had consulted with his American opposite number, then contacted the Nigerian president for approval, and subsequently spoke with the American official again.

“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “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 collaborative effort.”

The U.S. military’s Africa Command confirmed the strikes in Sokoto state had been executed in concert with local officials.

Background of Violence in Northwestern Nigeria

Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by gangs of armed bandits and members of ISSP. Some analysts say this affiliate started when pastoralists banded together to fight bandits due to a absence of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.

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

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

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

Wider U.S. Military Posture

This intervention occurs amid a broader pattern of American activity overseas during this period. Despite campaigning as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “endless wars,” the initial period of this term has seen strikes in multiple countries and a significant military buildup in another region.

No official from 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 responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”