Americans to wage-ops against Boko Haram in Nigeria

Washington – The United States to conduct surveillance and intelligence operations against Boko Haram in Nigeria, sources familiar with the plan told AFP on Friday a major escalation of the role of Washington in the fight against the group Islamist.
The operations will be conducted as part of the recently announced deployment of up to 300 US military in neighboring Cameroon, officials said.
“This will be part of our efforts Boko Haram will be operating throughout the region,” one of the sources said on condition of anonymity.
It does not include boots on the ground or offensive battle, but we will see military operations against Boko Haram in Nigeria for the first time.
“It is surveillance and intelligence gathering, nothing offensive,” said the same source.
US President Barack Obama on Wednesday announced 90 American soldiers had already been sent to Cameroon and can possibly count to 300.
The White House was careful to emphasize that the staff would not take part in combat operations and would be armed only for self-defense.
Nigeria welcomed the announcement as a “welcome development.”