U.S. Pulls Most Forces from Nigeria ISIS Fight, Keeps Intelligence Support

The United States has withdrawn most of the forces it deployed for a May operation against Islamic State militants in Nigeria and is now providing intelligence support at Abuja’s request, Defense News reported. In May, U.S. and Nigerian forces conducted military operations in the Lake Chad Basin region of northeastern Nigeria that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the second-in-command of ISIS globally.

That followed a U.S. strike on Christmas Day against the militants ordered by President Donald Trump. AFRICOM Commander Gen. Dagvin Anderson described the May joint operation as a model for future security cooperation in Africa while speaking at a conference of African defense chiefs in Angola’s capital, Luanda, on Thursday.

“We have withdrawn much of our forces that were just there for that operation, but are continuing the partnership that Nigeria has asked for to help continue with the intelligence sharing,” Anderson told journalists during a U.S. State Department-hosted briefing after the conference.

Anderson said the operation demonstrated Washington’s approach of providing specialized capabilities while allowing African partners to lead security operations.

He said cooperation with Nigeria had helped degrade Islamic State’s leadership, adding that the impact had extended beyond West Africa because of the militant group’s international network. “Nigeria has been very active since that operation in May,” Anderson said.

” He added that Nigerian military pressure, combined with efforts to publicize the operation, had encouraged additional defections and surrenders among ISIS fighters in northeastern Nigeria.

The three-day conference was attended by military leaders from 35 African countries, alongside representatives from the U.S. and Brazil.