US Military to Support Offensive against ISWAP, Boko Haram

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

In a renewed bid to defeat terrorists in the North-east, the United States Army said it would provide support for the ongoing military offensive against Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP) and Boko Haram by countries of Lake Chad Basin Commission.

Member-countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, notably Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic are presently engaged in a military offensive tagged “Operation Yacin Tafki” to rid the Lake Chad fringes of terrorists.

The Commander, Special Operations United States Africa Command (US AFRICOM), Major General Marcus Hicks, made the disclosure during a recent visit to the Tactical Headquarters of the Multinational Joint

Task Force in Diffa, Republic of Niger. Addressing officers of the MNJTF, Major General Hicks noted that the aim of the visit was to share intelligence and build confidence between the two organisations towards the achievement of operational objectives.

Earlier, the Deputy Force Commander of the MNJTF, Brigadier General Seydou Badjie, commended the US AFRICOM for its interest in the activities of the MNJTF.

He also solicited the continued cooperation of the two agencies in order to successfully deal with Boko Haram insurgency.

In a related development, the Commanding General of the United States Army Africa Command, Major General Rogers Cloutier, also visited the MNJTF Headquarteres in N’Djamena, Republic of Chad.

“Discussions between the Force Commander, Major General Chikezie Ude and General Cloutier focused on the role of the MNJTF in combating the threat of Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa,” a

statement by Chief of Military Public Information MNJTF Headquarters, Colonel Timothy Antigha, said.