US Military.webp
The Digest:

The first batch of United States troops and five military aircraft have arrived in north-east Nigeria ahead of a joint offensive against ISWAP terrorists, according to The New York Times and counter-terrorism researcher Brant Philip. A US aircraft touched down in Maiduguri on Thursday night, with three visible at the base by Friday evening offloading equipment. Philip reported six US Air Force cargo planes deployed to West Africa over the past week, with five proceeding to Nigeria, one to Kainji Airbase and others to Maiduguri. Deliveries may include MQ-9 Reaper drones and attack helicopters. The deployment follows the US announcement of 200 troops to train Nigerian forces, supplementing existing personnel. The operation aims to counter ISWAP, which controls most rural Borno areas.

Key Points:
  • The deployment significantly boosts Nigerian military capacity against ISWAP in the north-east.
  • It strengthens bilateral security cooperation and intelligence sharing against shared terrorist threats.
  • Nigerian forces gain advanced training and equipment, while the US expands its counter-terrorism footprint.
  • This signals the operationalisation of the expanded US-Nigeria security partnership announced last week.
  • The timing, with ISWAP controlling rural Borno, addresses urgent tactical needs.
Maiduguri will serve as the primary operations base, with US assets and personnel supporting Nigerian forces in reclaiming territory from ISWAP.

Sources: The Cable, The New York Times, Brant Philip/X