Nigeria Confirms It Furnished Intelligence for Christmas Day Military Strikes as Defense Secretary Predicts of Additional Operations
The Nigerian foreign ministry has confirmed that it played a role in the US airstrikes carried out on Christmas Day, according to the nation's foreign minister this week.
Former President Donald Trump had announced the aerial attacks against Islamic State militants in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the group for targeting Christian communities.
Extensive Discussions Came Before the Operation
Nigeria's top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, explained that he had held "extensive" discussions with America's top diplomat Marco Rubio immediately before and after the airstrike.
He further added that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had given the "go-ahead" for the airstrikes. Tuggar did not rule out additional operations, characterizing them as an "continuous effort" that would also involve other countries.
"This operation had no connection to a specific faith," Tuggar insisted in an discussion with the BBC. "It is about targeting militants who have been killing Nigerians."
American Official Predicts of More Strikes in Nigeria
Hours after the Christmas Day operation, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth cautioned of additional military actions against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria.
Hegseth described the strikes as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians, a position echoed by the ex-commander in chief. In a social media post, Hegseth wrote, "The president was clear... the murder of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."
Political Reaction to the Airstrikes
The holiday military operation were met with praise by some supporters of the ex-leader, who had been calling for a strong military reaction to the violence against Christians.
"I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Christmas than by responding to the killings of Christians," commented one well-known political figure on social media.
Main Takeaways from the Announcement
- Cooperation: Nigeria supplied key intelligence for the American airstrikes.
- High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action.
- Continuous Effort: The operation is described as an "continuing mission" with the possibility of more strikes.
- Secular Objective: Nigerian officials strongly insist the strikes are focused on counter-terrorism, not religious affiliation.
- American Stance: A senior US defense leader has indicated further strikes are on the horizon.
The situation highlights the complex security cooperation between Nigeria and the US in combating militant groups in the Sahel area.
