President Barack Obama on Wednesday announced that he would be deploying 300 troops to Cameroon to join the fight against Boko Haram insurgents. The total number of USA military personnel to be deployed to Cameroon is anticipated to be up to approximately 300.
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USA forces in the country will be armed for “their own force protection and security” the president said, and will remain in Cameroon for an undetermined length of time.
Obama said the deployment is to further USA national security and foreign policy interests. I appreciate the support of the Congress in this action.
The USA forces will be based just to the east of Nigeria in Cameroon, where they will operate a small fleet of unarmed Predator drones that will conduct surveillance across the region, according to the Defense Department.
Over the past few months, the extremist group has been engaging in an armed struggle with Nigerian army aided by troops from Chad, Niger, Benin and Cameroon, which started their ground and aerial offensives in March.
Earlier this year, Boko Haram aligned itself with Isis, and on Sunday, two suicide bombers killed nine people killed nine people and wounded at least 29 others in the Cameroon village of Kangeleri.
They will participate in a broader effort to combat Boko Haram as part of a regional effort, Earnest said.
The U.S.is already assisting Nigerian efforts to defeat Boko Haram, which was founded in that country and has pledged allegiance to Islamic State militants.
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About 800,000 children have been forced to flee their homes due to violence generated by Boko Haram’s violent insurgency in Nigeria, the United Nations said.
