Donald Trump is set to send 200 troops to Nigeria to train the country’s military to fight Islamist militants after the White House railed against terror attacks targeting Christians.An American military official said the troops will supplement a handful of US military personnel already in Nigeria to help local forces use intelligence to identify targets for military strikes.American personnel will also train local forces, but are not expected to see combat, officials have said.It comes as the first official acknowledgement from Nigeria of an American troop presence since Mr Trump ordered the military in November to prepare for action in Nigeria to tackle Islamist militant groups.
TRENDING
Stories
Videos
Your Say
Nigerian Defence Minister Christopher Musa has not provided any details about the location or duration of stay of US troops, with reports that deployment followed a Nigerian request and was focused on “intelligence support”. “Our partnership with Nigeria is a great example of a very willing and capable partner who requested the unique capabilities that only the US can bring,” said General Dagvin Anderson of US Africa Command (Africom).Nigeria faces an array of security challenges including criminal gangs – known locally as “bandits” who loot and kidnap for ransom – an Islamist insurgency, clashes over land and separatist unrest.The US and Nigerian forces have conducted joint training programmes and exercises for decades.However, the US military has recently become more involved – launching airstrikes on Christmas Day on two camps run by the militant group known as Lakurawa in the north-west.Late last year, the White House pressed Nigeria to improve security and strengthen protections for Christian communities.Mr Trump had previously claimed Christians were being persecuted in Nigeria – an allegation strongly rejected by Nigeria’s government, which said Muslims, Christians and people of no faith were victims of attacks.There are more than 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria, which are roughly divided into a mainly Muslim north, a largely Christian south, with intermingling in the middle.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSDonald Trump brands Super Bowl half-time show ‘affront to greatness of America’ in brutal put-downDonald Trump pours praise on ‘Japan’s Margaret Thatcher’ after PM wins landslide election majorityDonald Trump deports 35 ‘worst of the worst’ Britons – more sent back to UK than to AfghanistanNigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar said the Christmas Day strikes were approved by Tinubu and involved Nigerian forces.Since then security co-operation between the two nations has increased – with the US saying last month that it had delivered critical supplies to support Nigeria’s security efforts.Equipment had also recently been purchased to aid counter-insurgency operations, with Nigerian forces stepping up operations against armed groups in recent weeks.Earlier this month, the army claimed it had killed a senior Boko Haram commander and 10 other militants during an operation in Borno state.Dozens were killed in a shooting attack on two villages in Nigeria’s western state of Kwara after they refused to “surrender to extremists who preached a strange doctrine”, according to the state’s governor.Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said on social media that “75 local Muslims were massacred” in the raid last week, blaming Boko Haram for the killings.The assault was just one of several across the country as of late, with President Bola Tinubu deploying an army battalion to the affected area.
Our Standards:
The GB News Editorial Charter GB News Read More