US to Withdraw 200 Troops From Nigeria
By Sabiu Abdullahi
The United States is preparing to withdraw about 200 military personnel deployed to Nigeria earlier this year as part of efforts to combat Islamist militants, according to a report by The New York Times.
The report said American and Nigerian officials considered the deployment relatively small but credited it with producing significant results against militant groups.
Most of the troops are expected to leave Nigeria by the end of September. However, small teams of US military trainers and intelligence analysts are expected to remain in the country, according to the report published on Thursday.
US officials reportedly described the Nigerian deployment as a potential model for future American counterterrorism operations across Africa.
The planned withdrawal follows a May military operation that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as the second-in-command of ISIS, in the Lake Chad Basin.
Last month, Dagvin Anderson, commander of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), said the United States had already withdrawn a significant number of its troops from Nigeria after the operation.
According to Anderson, the operation dealt a major blow to ISIS leadership in Nigeria and beyond.
He also said Nigeria had been “very active” since the May operation and was working to prevent terrorist groups from sustaining themselves.
Despite the reduction in troop numbers, Anderson said the US would maintain its intelligence-sharing partnership with Nigeria.