The United States may deepen security cooperation with Cameroon against Boko Haram following talks in Yaoundé on May 7 between President Paul Biya and General John Brennan, deputy commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM).

According to AFRICOM, the discussions covered maritime security and possible U.S. support for operations against Boko Haram. In a statement issued after the meeting, the command also referred to the potential use of “unique capabilities” in operations against the jihadist group, without elaborating on the assets involved.

No new U.S. deployment has been officially announced. The discussions nonetheless point to the possibility of increased American support for Cameroonian forces battling Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin, where the group has remained active for more than a decade.

If Washington expands its involvement, it would mark a renewed U.S. military presence in Cameroon since the withdrawal in 2019 of more than 200 American troops stationed in the country.

Those soldiers had been deployed from 2015 under the Task Force Talon and were based in Garoua, in northern Cameroon. Their role focused on intelligence gathering and aerial surveillance in support of regional operations against Boko Haram.

The United States said at the time that the withdrawal was linked to concerns over human rights violations allegedly committed by some units of the Cameroonian military.

Created in 2007, AFRICOM oversees U.S. military operations across Africa. In the Lake Chad Basin, which spans parts of Cameroon, Nigeria, Chad and Niger, Washington has for years supported regional armies through intelligence-sharing, logistics and surveillance assistance.

Despite military pressure from regional forces, Boko Haram and factions linked to the group continue to carry out attacks in parts of Cameroon, targeting both security forces and civilians.

The May 7 meeting is part of broader security discussions between Yaoundé and Washington. On Sept. 19, 2025, Biya had already held talks with General Dagvin Anderson, then AFRICOM commander, on counterterrorism cooperation in the Lake Chad Basin, according to the Cameroonian presidency.

Source: Sbbc