Nigeria Discloses It Supplied Intelligence for US-Led Military Strikes as Defense Secretary Predicts of Additional Attacks
The Nigerian foreign ministry has announced that it played a role in the American military operation carried out on December 25, according to the country's foreign minister on Friday.
Ex-President Donald Trump previously declared the aerial attacks targeting ISIS fighters in the northwestern region of Nigeria after spending weeks criticizing the organization for targeting Christians.
Extensive Discussions Came Before the Military Action
Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, explained that he had engaged in "lengthy" phone conversations with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio immediately prior to and following the attack.
He further added that Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, had granted authorization for the military action. Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, characterizing them as an "continuous effort" that would potentially include other countries.
"The strikes had nothing to do with a specific faith," Tuggar insisted in an interview with the BBC. "The objective is to do with attacking terrorists who have been murdering Nigerian citizens."
US Warns of Further Actions in Nigeria
Hours after the initial strikes, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cautioned of additional military actions against ISIS locations in the region.
Hegseth described the strikes as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians, a stance echoed by the former president. In a social media post, Hegseth stated, "He was explicit... the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end. More to come..."
Political Reaction to the Military Action
The Christmas Day strikes were hailed by certain political allies of the former president, who had been calling for a strong military reaction to the violence against Christians.
"I can’t think of a more fitting manner to celebrate Christmas than by responding to the killings of Christians," posted one well-known political figure on social media.
Main Takeaways from the Revelations
- Cooperation: Nigeria supplied key intelligence for the US-led operation.
- High-Level Approval: President Bola Tinubu gave the green light for the military action.
- Ongoing Process: The operation is described as an "ongoing process" with potential for future actions.
- Non-Religious Aim: Nigerian officials maintain the strikes are solely about combating militants, not religion.
- US Commitment: A senior US official has indicated additional strikes are on the horizon.
This development underscores the evolving security cooperation between the West African nation and the United States in combating terrorist threats in the region.