The commander of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson, said intelligence cooperation between the United States and Nigeria has dealt a “major blow” to ISIL, noting that intelligence sharing helped eliminate one of the group’s senior leaders.
Speaking at the close of the African Chiefs of Defence Conference in Luanda, Angola, on Thursday, Anderson said the joint operation demonstrated the effectiveness of the security partnership between Washington and Abuja, which is built on intelligence sharing and support for local security forces.
He added that the United States prefers to support “African-led solutions” by providing specialised intelligence capabilities, training, and capacity building rather than engaging directly in combat operations.
Anderson described Nigeria as a “strong partner” with an experienced military that has played a significant role in combating armed groups, calling it an example of successful US-African security cooperation.
