US Boosts Military Support to Nigeria

The United States is stepping up military cooperation with Nigeria to help fight armed groups linked to Daesh across Africa.

Lieutenant General John Brennan, deputy commander of US Africa Command, said Washington is sending more military equipment and sharing more intelligence with Nigerian forces. The goal is to strengthen Nigeria’s ability to carry out operations, especially air missions, in the northwest and northeast of the country where extremist groups have been active for years.

He explained that the US wants to give its partners better tools and fewer restrictions so they can respond more effectively. According to him, security problems across Africa  from Somalia to Nigeria  are connected, and the US is trying to break those networks apart by improving coordination and information sharing.

The cooperation includes the newly held US-Nigeria Joint Working Group meeting in Abuja. It also follows recent US airstrikes on Daesh-linked targets in northwest Nigeria.

At the same time, the US has kept communication open with the militaries of Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali.

However, tensions remain. Former President Donald Trump previously accused Nigeria of mass killings of Christians  a claim Nigerian authorities rejected. Nigeria is almost evenly split between a mainly Muslim north and a mostly Christian south, making religious issues especially sensitive.

Overall, the US says the expanded support is meant to help African partners better confront extremist threats on their own.

Source: Newstimehub