Nigeria Discloses It Supplied Intelligence for Christmas Day Military Strikes as US Official Predicts of More Operations
Nigeria's government has announced that it provided crucial intelligence in the American military operation conducted on December 25, as stated by the country's foreign minister on Friday.
Ex-President Donald Trump previously declared the strikes against ISIS fighters in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the group for targeting Christians.
Detailed Discussions Came Before the Military Action
Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, indicated that he had held "extensive" phone conversations with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio both prior to and following the airstrike.
He further added that Nigeria's leader, Bola Tinubu, had granted authorization for the military action. Tuggar left the door open for additional operations, characterizing them as an "continuous effort" that would also involve international partners.
"The strikes had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar emphasized in an discussion with the BBC. "It is about attacking terrorists who have been killing Nigerians."
US Warns of More Strikes in Nigeria
Hours after the Christmas Day operation, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of more strikes against Islamic State targets in the region.
Hegseth described the strikes as part of a mission to stop the killing of Christians, a position echoed by the ex-commander in chief. In a social media post, Hegseth wrote, "He was explicit... the killing of Christian civilians in Nigeria must cease. More to come..."
Political Reaction to the Airstrikes
The holiday military operation were hailed by certain supporters of the ex-leader, who had been agitating for a strong military reaction to the attacks against Christians.
"There is no a more fitting manner to celebrate Christmas than by avenging the death of Christians," commented one prominent political figure on social media.
Main Takeaways from the Announcement
- Cooperation: Nigeria supplied crucial information for the US-led operation.
- Presidential Authorization: President Bola Tinubu personally authorized the strikes.
- Continuous Effort: The operation is described as an "continuing mission" with the possibility of future actions.
- Non-Religious Aim: Nigerian officials maintain the targeting are focused on combating militants, not religion.
- US Commitment: A senior US official has signaled further strikes are on the horizon.
This development underscores the evolving military partnership between the West African nation and the US in addressing terrorist threats in the region.
