U.S. Forces Draw Down in Nigeria After High-Value ISIS Operation, AFRICOM Shifts to Intelligence Support

AFRICOM commander says joint U.S.-Nigerian mission that eliminated ISIS global deputy demonstrates Washington's evolving security strategy of enabling African partners while reducing the U.S. military footprint.

LUANDA, Angola | The United States has withdrawn the majority of forces deployed for a recent counterterrorism mission in Nigeria following a successful joint operation that eliminated one of the Islamic State's highest-ranking global leaders, according to the commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).

Speaking during a conference of African defense chiefs in Luanda, Angola, Gen. Dagvin Anderson, commander of AFRICOM, said the United States has transitioned from direct operational support to intelligence-sharing at the request of the Nigerian government—a move that reflects Washington's broader strategy of enabling regional partners to lead counterterrorism operations across Africa.

"We have withdrawn much of our forces that were just there for that operation, but are continuing the partnership that Nigeria has asked for to help continue with the intelligence sharing," Anderson told reporters following the U.S. State Department-hosted conference.

The operation represents one of the most significant recent counterterrorism successes against the Islamic State's African network.

Joint Operation Eliminated Senior ISIS Leader

The May operation, conducted by U.S. and Nigerian military forces in Nigeria's volatile Lake Chad Basin region, resulted in the death of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified by AFRICOM as the second-in-command of the Islamic State's global organization.

Military officials believe the strike significantly disrupted ISIS leadership, command-and-control capabilities, and communications extending beyond West Africa.