Over 100 US troops arrive in Nigeria to help train its military

Over 100 US troops plus equipment have arrived in Nigeria to help train soldiers in the West African country as the government fights against Islamic militants and other armed groups, the Nigerian military announced Monday.

The arrival followed a request by the Nigerian government to the US government for help with training, technical support and intelligence-sharing, the military said in a statement.

The deployment follows an easing of tensions that flared between the US and Nigeria when US



President Donald Trump said the country wasn’t protecting Christians from an alleged genocide. 

The Nigerian government has rejected the accusation, and analysts say it simplifies a very complicated situation in which people are often targeted regardless of their faith.

Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba, spokesman for Nigeria’s Defense Headquarters, previously has said that the US troops won’t engage in combat or have a direct operational role, and that Nigerian forces will have complete command authority.