US President Barack Obama will deploy up to 300 military personnel
to Cameroon for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations
against militant Boko Haram insurgents, he informed Congress on Wednesday.
to Cameroon for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations
against militant Boko Haram insurgents, he informed Congress on Wednesday.
already been deployed, marking a modest but significant escalation of US
involvement in the fight against the Islamic State-allied group.
Washington has largely shied away from engaging its vast military assets
to combat Boko Haram, with policymakers wary of fueling militant
recruitment or fusing the group’s ties with Middle Eastern Islamists.
to combat Boko Haram, with policymakers wary of fueling militant
recruitment or fusing the group’s ties with Middle Eastern Islamists.
In making Wednesday’s announcement, the White House was at pains to stress
that personnel would not take part in combat operations and would be armed
only for self-defense.
that personnel would not take part in combat operations and would be armed
only for self-defense.
The onus, US officials said, would still be on a regional coalition that
has tried to keep a once regional Muslim anti-colonial movement from
metastasizing into a regional jihadist threat.
has tried to keep a once regional Muslim anti-colonial movement from
metastasizing into a regional jihadist threat.
“It will be part of a broader regional effort to stop the spread of Boko
Haram and other violent extremist organizations in West Africa,” said
White House spokesman Josh Earnest.
Haram and other violent extremist organizations in West Africa,” said
White House spokesman Josh Earnest.
The mission will last “until their support is no longer needed,” Obama’s
letter said.
letter said.
The White House decision comes as Boko Haram steadily expands operations
beyond its traditional base in northern Nigeria.
beyond its traditional base in northern Nigeria.
An uptick in violence is expected in the coming weeks with the end of the
rainy season and amid growing resistance to a nascent multi-national joint
task force.
rainy season and amid growing resistance to a nascent multi-national joint
task force.
Cameroon has been among those coalition countries hit.
Twin suicide blasts on Sunday killed at least nine people and injured 29
in far northern Cameroon.
in far northern Cameroon.
Nine people died when one of two suicide bombers detonated a device in a
tiny milk and donut restaurant in the village of Kangaleri.
tiny milk and donut restaurant in the village of Kangaleri.
The second suicide bomber killed only herself, a local authority official
said.
said.
“Like northern Nigeria, northern Cameroon is predominantly Muslim and it
is also a part of the country that has historically been somewhat
marginalized,” said John Campbell, a former US ambassador to Nigeria, now
with the Council on Foreign Relations.
is also a part of the country that has historically been somewhat
marginalized,” said John Campbell, a former US ambassador to Nigeria, now
with the Council on Foreign Relations.
The dual suicide attack came a day after triple explosions in Chad left 41
dead.
dead.
Both countries are part of a regional coalition that has been fighting the
militants.
militants.
Nonetheless, Campbell described the White House decision as “surprising.”
“We are not talking about a very large force, but I do think that the
American appetite for involvement in yet another Muslim civil war in a
part of the world that is pretty remote from American concern is
surprising.”
American appetite for involvement in yet another Muslim civil war in a
part of the world that is pretty remote from American concern is
surprising.”
It may also come as a surprise in Abuja, where successive Nigerian
governments have asked for US assistance in fighting Boko Haram.
governments have asked for US assistance in fighting Boko Haram.
Recently elected President Muhammadu Buhari has been feted by the White
House, but has not received significant US military support amid concerns
about military abuses, including the alleged use of cluster munitions.
House, but has not received significant US military support amid concerns
about military abuses, including the alleged use of cluster munitions.
AFP
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