The Obama administration says it expects to deploy about 300 U.S. service members to the African nation of Cameroon to help stop the spread of Boko Haram and other violent extremist groups.
Roughly 90 U.S. service members are already en route to Cameroon to conduct airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations in the region.
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President Barack Obama notified House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, in a letter and the White House released the letter Wednesday. U.S. personnel began deploying on Monday under an arrangement with the Cameroon government.
The U.S. troops will be armed to provide their own protection and security and will stay in Cameroon until they are no longer needed, the White House said on Wednesday.
Cameroon has been battling Boko Haram militants based in neighboring Nigeria. The group has vowed to retaliate against Cameroon for backing the Nigerian military’s mission to defeat Boko Haram.
NBC News
NBC News
Reuters