Nigeria Confirms It Provided Intelligence for Recent Airstrikes as US Official Predicts of More Attacks
The Nigerian foreign ministry has announced that it played a role in the American military operation conducted on Christmas Day, as stated by the country's foreign minister on Friday.
Former President Donald Trump previously declared the aerial attacks targeting ISIS militants in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the group for attacking Christians.
Detailed Consultations Preceded the Military Action
Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated that he had engaged in "lengthy" phone conversations with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio immediately before and after the attack.
He also noted that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had approved for the airstrikes. Tuggar did not rule out additional operations, characterizing them as an "continuous effort" that would also involve international partners.
"This operation had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar emphasized in an discussion with the BBC. "It is about targeting militants who have been killing Nigerians."
US Warns of Further Actions in Nigeria
Shortly following the Christmas Day operation, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth warned of more strikes against ISIS locations in the region.
Hegseth described the strikes as part of a mission to halt the targeting of Christian individuals, a position echoed by the former president. In a public statement, 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 met with praise by some supporters of the former president, who had been agitating for a strong military reaction to the violence against Christians.
"There is no a better way to celebrate Christmas than by avenging the death of Christians," commented one well-known political figure on a digital platform.
Main Takeaways from the Revelations
- Intelligence Sharing: Nigeria actively provided key intelligence for the US-led airstrikes.
- High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu personally authorized the strikes.
- Continuous Effort: The operation is described as an "ongoing process" with potential for future actions.
- Non-Religious Aim: Nigerian officials maintain the targeting are focused on combating militants, not religion.
- American Stance: A top American official has signaled further military actions are on the horizon.
This development underscores the complex security cooperation between Nigeria and the US in combating terrorist threats in the Sahel area.