The United States is preparing to withdraw about 200 troops deployed to Nigeria earlier this year to support efforts against Islamist militants, according to a report by The New York Times.
American and Nigerian officials told the newspaper that although the deployment was relatively small, it produced significant results in the country’s counterterrorism efforts.
However, small teams of US military trainers and intelligence analysts are expected to remain in Nigeria after the main contingent leaves by the end of September, the report published on Thursday said, citing US military officials.
American officials reportedly described the Nigerian deployment as a potential model for future US military operations across Africa.
Last month, Dagvin Anderson, commander of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), disclosed that the US had withdrawn a significant number of its troops from Nigeria following a May operation that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as the second-in-command of ISIS, in the Lake Chad Basin.
Anderson said the operation had significantly weakened ISIS leadership both in Nigeria and internationally.
He also noted that Nigeria had been “very active” since the operation, working to prevent terrorist groups from maintaining their operational independence.
The AFRICOM commander added that the US would continue its intelligence-sharing partnership with Nigeria.
The planned withdrawal comes weeks after Nigeria and the US held their second round of discussions in Washington through a joint working group focused on protecting Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
The working group was established after US President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a country of particular concern (CPC) over allegations of Christian genocide, claims that contributed to increased US military involvement in Nigeria.
Despite the collaboration, insecurity remains a major challenge across the country.
Nigeria has rejected the idea that the violence has a single cause, maintaining that the security crisis is driven by several interconnected factors.
Ladd Serwat, Africa senior analyst at ACLED, previously told TheCable that Islamist militant activities “constitute only a small proportion of the overall violence” in Nigeria.
The country continues to face multiple security threats, including terrorism spreading from neighbouring Sahelian countries, banditry in the north-west, Islamist groups such as ISWAP, ISIS and Boko Haram, farmer-herder conflicts, as well as cult groups and militias.
Serwat described the situation as “a very complicated security situation”.