US military working with Nigeria as part of wider Islamic State pivot

The Pentagon has also kept open lines of communication with militaries in the junta-led Sahel countries of Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, Lieutenant General John Brennan said. The increased cooperation with Abuja follows Washington's diplomatic pressure on Nigeria over jihadist violence in the country, but also as the US military is becoming "more aggressive" in pursuing IS-linked targets on the continent. Under the Trump administration, "we've gotten a lot more aggressive and (are) working with partners to target...