Nigeria Reveals It Provided Key Information for Recent Airstrikes as US Official Predicts of More Attacks
The Nigerian foreign ministry has confirmed that it played a role in the US airstrikes conducted on Christmas Day, according to the nation's foreign minister on Friday.
Former President Donald Trump had announced the aerial attacks targeting ISIS fighters in north-west Nigeria after a period of decrying the group for attacking Christian communities.
Extensive Discussions Came Before the Military Action
Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated that he had held "lengthy" discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio immediately prior to and following the airstrike.
He further added that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had approved for the military action. Tuggar did not rule out additional operations, describing them as an "ongoing process" that would potentially include international partners.
"This operation had no connection to a particular religion," Tuggar emphasized in an interview with the BBC. "The objective is to do with targeting militants who have been murdering Nigerian citizens."
American Official Predicts of More Strikes in Nigeria
Hours after the initial strikes, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth warned of additional military actions against ISIS locations in north-western Nigeria.
Hegseth described the strikes as part of efforts to halt the killing of Christians, a stance reiterated by the ex-commander in chief. In a social media post, Hegseth wrote, "He was clear... the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must cease. More to come..."
Political Reaction to the Military Action
The holiday military operation were met with praise by certain political allies of the ex-leader, who had been calling for a strong military reaction to the attacks against Christians.
"There is no a better way to celebrate Christmas than by avenging the death of Christians," commented one prominent activist on a digital platform.
Key Points from the Revelations
- Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria supplied key intelligence for the US-led operation.
- Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu personally authorized the military action.
- Continuous Effort: The campaign is described as an "continuing mission" with potential for future actions.
- Secular Objective: Nigerian officials strongly insist the targeting are solely about combating militants, not religious affiliation.
- American Stance: A senior US defense leader has signaled further strikes are on the horizon.
The situation underscores the complex military partnership between the West African nation and the US in combating militant groups in the Sahel area.
