Abuja, Nigeria – The U.S. Africa Command announced that the United States has withdrawn most of its forces deployed to Nigeria as part of recent military operations against ISIS.
It confirmed that security cooperation with Abuja will continue through intelligence sharing, at the request of the Nigerian government.
End of military mission
The US decision to withdraw troops came after the conclusion of a joint operation conducted by US and Nigerian forces last May in northeastern Nigeria. The operation resulted in the death of Abu Bilal al-Minuki, whom Washington and Abuja described as the second-in-command of ISIS worldwide.
The operation followed a US airstrike targeting ISIS members. The order came from US President Donald Trump, who stated that the militants were targeting Christians in Nigeria.
Continued security partnership
The commander of U.S. Africa Command, General Dagvin Anderson, confirmed that the forces deployed were solely for that operation. He also explained that most of them left Nigerian territory after the mission was completed.
He added that the United States will continue to cooperate with Nigeria by providing intelligence support and sharing information. This helps Nigerian forces counter security threats and pursue members of extremist groups.
A model for cooperation in Africa
Anderson described the joint US-Nigeria operation as a model for future security cooperation on the African continent. He also noted that military and intelligence coordination between the two sides contributed to achieving the operation’s objectives.
For years, Nigeria has been conducting military operations against ISIS and other armed groups in the northeast of the country. These operations are carried out in cooperation with international partners as part of efforts to reduce security threats and restore stability to areas affected by terrorism.
