The United States has deployed a small team of troops to Nigeria, the general in charge of U.S. military operations in Africa said on Tuesday, marking the first public acknowledgment of U.S. forces on the ground since Washington carried out airstrikes on Christmas Day.
President Donald Trump ordered the December airstrikes on what he described as Islamic State targets in Nigeria and said further U.S. military action could follow.
Reuters had earlier reported that the United States had been conducting surveillance flights over Nigeria from Ghana since at least late November.
The head of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin R. M. Anderson, said the deployment followed discussions between Washington and Abuja on the need to intensify efforts against the terrorist threat in West Africa.
He did not provide details on the size of the team or the scope of its mission.
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, confirmed that a U.S. team was operating in the country but also declined to give further details.
Reuters