Nigeria Discloses It Furnished Key Information for Christmas Day Military Strikes as US Official Warns of More Attacks
The Nigerian foreign ministry has announced that it provided crucial intelligence in the American military operation carried out on December 25, according to the country's foreign minister on Friday.
Ex-President Donald Trump had announced the aerial attacks against ISIS fighters in the northwestern region of Nigeria after a period of decrying the group for targeting Christian communities.
Extensive Discussions Came Before the Operation
Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, indicated that he had engaged in "lengthy" phone conversations with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio immediately before and after the attack.
He further added that Nigeria's leader, Bola Tinubu, had granted authorization for the military action. Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, describing them as an "ongoing process" that would also involve international partners.
"The strikes had nothing to do with a particular religion," Tuggar insisted in an interview with the BBC. "The objective is to do with targeting militants who have been killing Nigerians."
US Warns of More Strikes in Nigeria
Shortly following the Christmas Day operation, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth warned of more strikes against Islamic State targets in the region.
Hegseth characterized the action as part of a mission to halt the targeting of Christian individuals, a stance echoed by the ex-commander in chief. In a public statement, Hegseth wrote, "He was clear... the murder of Christian civilians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."
Supporters' Response to the Airstrikes
The Christmas Day strikes were met with praise by certain supporters of the former president, who had been calling for a forceful response to the violence against Christians.
"There is no a more fitting manner to celebrate Christmas than by responding to the killings of Christians," posted one prominent activist on social media.
Main Takeaways from the Announcement
- Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria actively provided crucial information for the US-led airstrikes.
- High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action.
- Continuous Effort: The campaign is viewed as an "ongoing process" with the possibility of more strikes.
- Secular Objective: Nigerian officials maintain the targeting are focused on counter-terrorism, not religion.
- US Commitment: A top American defense leader has indicated further military actions are likely.
This development underscores the evolving military partnership between Nigeria and the United States in addressing terrorist threats in the Sahel area.
