In brief
The United States has begun pulling most of the 200 troops it staged earlier this year in Nigeria to aid in counter‑insurgency against Islamist militants. The operation, launched in December, included a string of strikes in the Lake Chad Basin and culminated in the killing of senior IS leader Abu‑Bilal al‑Minuki. Nigerian officials say the withdrawal will not impact their momentum and will continue intelligence sharing. Analysts note that IS activity remains concentrated in sub‑Saharan Africa and that the Nigeria‑based unit was the most active.
The United States has begun pulling most of the 200 troops it staged earlier this year in Nigeria as part of a joint counter‑insurgency effort against Islamist militants.
In December, U.S. and Nigerian forces launched a joint operation in the Lake Chad Basin, striking militants on Christmas Day and redeploying a small contingent a month later. Senior Islamic State (IS) leader Abu‑Bilal al‑Minuki was killed during that mission.
The U.S. said the operation had been a success and that the leadership of IS in Nigeria had been "significantly degraded." Nigerian military spokesman Major General Samaila Uba confirmed that the withdrawal would not affect their momentum and that intelligence‑sharing would continue.
Nigerian officials rejected recent U.S. accusations that the country was failing to protect vulnerable groups from Islamist militants; they argue the violence is complex and affects all communities. Most IS victims, according to political violence monitors, are Muslims, as the group operates mainly in Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim north.
While most deployed troops have left, U.S. soldiers who were stationed in Nigeria prior to the Lake Chad Basin operation remain in the country. The Nigerian security landscape is still beset by a mix of Islamist insurgents, banditry and criminal violence that has spread beyond the north into central and southern regions.
