Nigeria Confirms It Furnished Key Information for Christmas Day Airstrikes as Defense Secretary Predicts of Additional Operations
The Nigerian government has stated that it played a role in the US airstrikes carried out on Christmas Day, according to the nation's foreign minister on Friday.
Former President Donald Trump previously declared the aerial attacks targeting Islamic State fighters in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks decrying the group for targeting Christians.
Detailed Discussions Came Before the Military Action
Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated that he had held "lengthy" discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio both before and after the airstrike.
He further added that Nigeria's leader, Bola Tinubu, had approved for the airstrikes. Tuggar did not rule out additional operations, characterizing them as an "continuous effort" that would potentially include international partners.
"This operation had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar emphasized in an interview with the BBC. "It is to do with targeting militants who have been murdering Nigerian citizens."
American Official Predicts of More Actions in Nigeria
Hours after the Christmas Day operation, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth warned of more strikes against ISIS locations in north-western Nigeria.
Hegseth characterized the action as part of a mission to halt the targeting of Christian individuals, a position reiterated 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..."
Political Reaction to the Military Action
The holiday military operation were met with praise by some supporters of the former president, who had been calling for a strong military reaction to the attacks against Christians.
"I can’t think of a more fitting manner to observe the holiday than by avenging the death of Christians," posted one prominent activist on a digital platform.
Key Points from the Revelations
- Cooperation: Nigeria supplied key intelligence for the US-led airstrikes.
- High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu personally authorized the strikes.
- Continuous Effort: The operation is viewed as an "ongoing process" with the possibility of more strikes.
- Non-Religious Aim: Nigerian officials strongly insist the strikes are solely about combating militants, not religion.
- American Stance: A top American defense leader has indicated additional strikes are on the horizon.
The situation highlights the evolving security cooperation between the West African nation and the United States in addressing terrorist threats in the Sahel area.
