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AFRICOM commander announces partial withdrawal of US troops from Nigeria
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Conflict & Security

AFRICOM commander announces partial withdrawal of US troops from Nigeria

From Premium Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • The Commander of US Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced the withdrawal of most US troops from Nigeria.
  • The troops were deployed in February to support counterterrorism operations following an agreement with the Nigerian government.
  • While the US troops did not initially engage in direct combat, they later participated in operations alongside Nigerian soldiers, killing ISWAP militants.

The United States has withdrawn the majority of its troops deployed to Nigeria for a counterterrorism operation, according to the Commander of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), Dagvin Anderson. The initial deployment began in early February, following a mutual agreement between the US and Nigerian governments after a US attack on suspected ISIS fighters.

We have withdrawn much of our forces that were just there for that operation.

— Dagvin AndersonCommander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) Dagvin Anderson announced the partial withdrawal of US troops from Nigeria during a virtual press briefing.

The deployment aimed to bolster efforts against terrorist threats in the West African nation. By mid-February, approximately 200 US troops were stationed in northeast Nigeria. Although military authorities assured that the US forces would not engage in direct combat, providing only military education, intelligence sharing, logistics support, and strategic dialogue, the troops later participated in combat operations. These operations, conducted with Nigerian soldiers, resulted in the elimination of a high-ranking Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commander and other militants in the northeast, particularly in Borno State.

They are continuing the partnership that Nigeria has asked for to help continue with the intelligence sharing and the understanding that’s necessary.

— Dagvin AndersonCommander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) Dagvin Anderson explained the ongoing security cooperation with Nigeria after the troop withdrawal.

Mr. Anderson disclosed the withdrawal during a virtual press briefing following the 2026 African Chiefs of Defence Conference in Luanda, Angola. He stated that while most forces involved in that specific operation have been withdrawn, the US continues its partnership with Nigeria, focusing on intelligence sharing as requested by the Nigerian government. However, Mr. Anderson did not provide specific details regarding the number of troops withdrawn, the timeline of their departure, or their exact locations within Nigeria. Neither the Nigerian military nor the federal government has officially commented on the withdrawal, and AFRICOM has not issued a separate public statement.

I think the partnership that we’ve shown recently with Nigeria… eventually led to a cooperative effort where we were able to bring some unique capabilities that the US brings and be able to prosecute togeth

— Dagvin AndersonCommander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) Dagvin Anderson cited Nigeria as an example of a successful partnership in supporting African-led security efforts.
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Originally published by Premium Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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