The first 100 U.S. troops have been deployed to Nigeria as part of a reportedly 200-person noncombat mission to help the West African country counter Islamic terrorists and other militant groups.
The personnel, in addition to U.S. ammunition and equipment, are in response to a request from the Nigerian government for assistance with training, technical support, and intelligence-sharing, though Nigeria will retain operational command.
The first deployment arrived in Maiduguri, in northeastern Nigeria, on Thursday, adding to a small presence of U.S. service members already there, with a second deployment expected within weeks.
The initial deployment follows months of tension between the U.S. and Nigeria over allegations the Nigerian government has not been protecting Christians from an alleged genocide, accusations officials have denied, including in interviews with the Washington Examiner.
“We have a problem. We can’t say we don’t,” Nigerian first lady Oluremi “Remi” Tinubu, herself an ordained Christian assistant pastor, told the Washington Examiner. “We’re trying to make sure that the country becomes a country, that people feel safe, that every life means something. There’s no life that is worth taking so that everyone is secured. So that is what we’re trying to do as a nation.”
Regardless, Trump in November had promised to respond with “guns-a-blazing” to avenge the so-called Christian genocide.
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Two months later, on Christmas Day, the U.S. Navy launched 16 Tomahawk missiles at Islamic State group targets in northwest Nigeria amid clashes between the likes of Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, as well as Lakurawa and other “bandit” organizations that take part in kidnappings for ransom and illegal mining.
The U.S. military has said the strikes resulted in the arrests of more than three dozen Islamic State group-affiliated fighters.
