According to the agency, the decision to send American troops was made after an agreement was reached between Washington and Abuja on the need to strengthen measures to combat the terrorist threat in the West African region. General Dagwin Anderson, who heads the U.S. Africa Command, noted that these troops "have unique capabilities," but did not specify the details regarding the scale and objectives of their mission.
According to Reuters sources, the new group may assist in gathering intelligence, which, in turn, will allow Nigerian forces to conduct operations against terrorist groups more effectively. Earlier, in his statements, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Nigeria for insufficient protection of Christians from Islamist militants operating in the northwest of the country. In response to these statements, on December 25, 2025, the United States carried out an airstrike against targets of the Islamic State group in the region, stating that the operation was conducted "at the request of Nigerian authorities."
