US To Withdraw 200 Troops From Nigeria After ISIS Commander’s Killing

The United States is set to withdraw about 200 troops deployed to Nigeria as part of its counterterrorism operations, following what American officials described as major progress in the fight against Islamist militants in the region.

The planned withdrawal, according to The New York Times, is expected to be completed by late September and will mark the end of the larger US military presence recently established in Nigeria.

The American troops were deployed earlier this year to work alongside Nigerian forces, providing intelligence support, training and other assistance in counterterrorism operations.

Although the deployment involved a relatively small number of personnel, US and Nigerian officials said it produced notable results, particularly in intelligence gathering and information sharing.

However, the withdrawal is not expected to bring an end to military cooperation between both countries.

Small teams of American trainers and intelligence analysts are expected to remain in Nigeria after the larger group leaves.

US To Maintain Intelligence Cooperation

American officials reportedly see the Nigerian deployment as a possible model for future counterterrorism missions in Africa.

The approach involves keeping the number of US troops on the ground relatively small while relying more on intelligence cooperation and supporting local forces to carry out operations.

The planned withdrawal follows a major operation in the Lake Chad Basin in May, during which Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as the second-in-command of ISIS, was killed.

Speaking last month, the Commander of the US Africa Command, Dagvin Anderson, disclosed that the US had already withdrawn a significant number of its personnel from Nigeria following the operation.

Anderson said the May operation dealt a major blow to the leadership structure of ISIS, both in Nigeria and beyond.

He also noted that Nigerian forces had remained active since the operation, particularly in preventing terrorist groups from rebuilding their capacity and sustaining themselves independently.

According to him, Washington would continue to work closely with Abuja on intelligence despite the reduction in the number of American troops stationed in Nigeria.

The troop withdrawal comes as Nigeria and the US continue to strengthen their security partnership, with counterterrorism remaining a major area of cooperation.

Both countries have also held discussions on protecting vulnerable communities affected by insecurity.

The latest development comes weeks after Nigerian and American officials held the second round of talks in Washington under a joint working group established to address concerns surrounding the protection of Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.