Nigeria Reveals It Supplied Key Information for Recent Military Strikes as US Official Predicts of Additional Operations
Nigeria's government has confirmed that it played a role in the US airstrikes conducted on December 25, as stated by the country's foreign minister on Friday.
Ex-President Donald Trump previously declared the strikes targeting ISIS militants in the northwestern region of Nigeria after a period of decrying the organization for attacking Christian communities.
Extensive Discussions Came Before the Military Action
Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, explained that he had held "extensive" phone conversations with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio both before and after the attack.
He further added that Nigeria's leader, Bola Tinubu, had approved for the airstrikes. Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, describing them as an "ongoing process" that would potentially include other countries.
"This operation had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar insisted in an interview with the BBC. "The objective is about attacking terrorists who have been murdering Nigerian citizens."
US Warns of More Strikes in Nigeria
Hours after the Christmas Day operation, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth warned of more strikes against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria.
Hegseth described the strikes as part of a mission to halt the targeting of Christian individuals, a stance echoed by the former president. In a social media post, Hegseth stated, "The president was explicit... the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."
Political Reaction to the Airstrikes
The holiday military operation were hailed by some political allies of the former president, who had been agitating for a strong military reaction to the attacks against Christians.
"There is no a better way to celebrate Christmas than by responding to the killings of Christians," commented one prominent activist on social media.
Main Takeaways from the Announcement
- Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria actively provided key intelligence for the American airstrikes.
- High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu personally authorized the military action.
- Ongoing Process: The operation is described as an "continuing mission" with potential for future actions.
- Non-Religious Aim: Nigerian officials strongly insist the strikes are focused on counter-terrorism, not religion.
- American Stance: A top American official has signaled further military actions are likely.
This development highlights the complex security cooperation between the West African nation and the United States in addressing militant groups in the Sahel area.
