The US has withdrawn the majority of its military forces from Nigeria.

The United States has withdrawn most of the military personnel it sent to Nigeria earlier this year. They were deployed to support Nigerian security forces in the fight against ISIS militant groups. BBC reported this.

 

In December of last year, the US and Nigerian militaries launched a joint operation in the Lake Chad basin. As part of the operation, strikes were carried out on militant targets on Christmas Day, and two months later, nearly 200 American troops were sent to Nigeria.

 

As a result of the operation, which lasted several months, one of the leaders of the "ISIS" terrorist group, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, was eliminated. The commander of the US Air Forces in Africa, General Dagvin Anderson, announced the successful conclusion of the operation, emphasizing that a serious blow had been dealt to the "ISIS" leadership in Nigeria. According to him, the joint operation disrupted the group's local command structure and its connections with the international network.

 

Meanwhile, a representative of the Nigerian army, Major General Michael Onoja, stated in a comment to the BBC that the withdrawal of American troops would not negatively impact the country's counter-terrorism operations. He emphasized that intelligence sharing between the two countries would continue.

 

At the same time, despite the operations conducted by the US and Nigeria, jihadist groups continue to carry out attacks, particularly in the northeastern regions of the country.

 

According to analysts, "ISIS" has redirected its activities in recent years towards African countries south of the Sahara. Currently, nearly 90 percent of the group's attacks occur in this region, and its branch in Nigeria is considered one of the most active networks.

 

The Nigerian government is simultaneously combating threats from extremist groups, armed bandits, and other criminal gangs.