Nigeria Discloses It Supplied Key Information for Christmas Day Military Strikes as US Official Predicts of Additional Attacks
Nigeria's government has confirmed that it played a role in the US airstrikes carried out on December 25, according to the nation's foreign minister this week.
Former President Donald Trump previously declared the aerial attacks against ISIS militants in the northwestern region of Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the organization for targeting Christian communities.
Extensive Consultations Came Before the Military Action
Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, indicated that he had held "extensive" discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio both before and after the airstrike.
He further added that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had granted authorization for the military action. Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, describing them as an "continuous effort" that would potentially include international partners.
"This operation had no connection to a particular religion," Tuggar insisted in an interview with the BBC. "The objective is about attacking terrorists who have been killing Nigerians."
American Official Predicts of More Strikes in Nigeria
Hours after the Christmas Day operation, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth cautioned of additional military actions against ISIS locations in north-western Nigeria.
Hegseth characterized the action as part of efforts to stop the killing of Christians, a stance reiterated by the ex-commander in chief. In a social media post, Hegseth stated, "He was clear... the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."
Supporters' Response to the Airstrikes
The Christmas Day strikes were hailed by certain political allies of the former president, who had been calling for a forceful response to the violence against Christians.
"There is no a better way to celebrate Christmas than by responding to the killings of Christians," posted one well-known political figure on social media.
Main Takeaways from the Revelations
- Cooperation: 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 operation is described as an "ongoing process" with potential for future actions.
- Non-Religious Aim: Nigerian officials strongly insist the strikes are solely about counter-terrorism, not religion.
- American Stance: A top American defense leader has signaled additional strikes are on the horizon.
The situation underscores the complex military partnership between the West African nation and the United States in addressing militant groups in the Sahel area.
