Nigeria Reveals It Provided Intelligence for Christmas Day Military Strikes as US Official Predicts of More Operations
The Nigerian government has announced that it provided crucial intelligence in the American military operation conducted on December 25, according to the country's foreign minister on Friday.
Ex-President Donald Trump had announced the aerial attacks targeting Islamic State fighters in north-west Nigeria after a period of decrying the organization for targeting Christian communities.
Detailed Discussions Came Before the Operation
Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated that he had engaged in "extensive" phone conversations 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 left the door open for further strikes, describing them as an "ongoing process" that would potentially include 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 attacking terrorists who have been killing Nigerians."
US Warns of Further Strikes in Nigeria
Hours after the initial strikes, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth warned of more strikes against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria.
Hegseth characterized the action as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians, a position reiterated by the former president. In a public statement, Hegseth wrote, "The president was clear... the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria must cease. More to come..."
Supporters' Response to the Military Action
The holiday military operation were met with praise by some supporters of the ex-leader, who had been agitating for a strong military reaction to the violence against Christians.
"I canāt think of a more fitting manner to observe the holiday than by avenging the death of Christians," commented one well-known activist on a digital platform.
Main Takeaways from the Announcement
- Cooperation: Nigeria supplied key intelligence for the US-led operation.
- High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the strikes.
- Continuous Effort: The operation is viewed as an "continuing mission" with the possibility of future actions.
- Non-Religious Aim: Nigerian officials maintain the targeting are solely about combating militants, not religion.
- US Commitment: A senior US official has signaled further military actions are likely.
This development underscores the complex military partnership between Nigeria and the US in combating terrorist threats in the region.
