The United States has withdrawn a significant number of its troops from Nigeria following the successful operation that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the deputy leader of ISIS in the Lake Chad Basin, during a mission carried out in May.
The announcement was made by the Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson, during a press briefing in Luanda, Angola, after the 2026 African Chiefs of Defence Conference.
Despite the troop withdrawal, Anderson said the United States will continue its intelligence-sharing partnership with Nigeria to support ongoing counterterrorism operations.
He described Nigeria as a capable nation with a strong economy, a highly educated population, and a professional military, adding that the partnership between both countries has strengthened efforts to combat terrorism.
According to him, years of cooperation enabled the United States to provide intelligence support and specialised capabilities that contributed to the joint operation leading to the elimination of Al-Minuki, who was responsible for ISIS’ global operations, media activities, and recruitment efforts.
Anderson noted that the mission not only improved security within the Lake Chad Basin but also weakened the global ISIS network by removing one of its top leaders.
He explained that most of the US troops deployed specifically for the operation have now left Nigeria, while cooperation with Nigerian authorities will continue through intelligence sharing and other strategic support requested by the country.
The AFRICOM commander added that the operation dealt a major blow to ISIS leadership and said Nigerian security forces have remained active since then in efforts to dismantle the terrorist group’s operational capabilities and prevent it from rebuilding its strength.
