ABUJA, Nigeria — ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria on Tuesday confirmed the planned withdrawal of around 200 U.S. troops sent to help the West African country tackle its complex security crisis.

The deployment was made in February following an escalation in tensions between Nigeria and the U.S. following accusations of Christian genocide.

According to the Nigerian government, the U.S. troops assisted in training and intelligence gathering and took part in a joint operation in which a top Islamic State leader was killed.

“The relationship between Nigeria and the United States remains strong, enduring, and mutually beneficial. The deployment of United States personnel was tied to specific operational and counterterrorism objectives,” Nigerian military spokesperson Samaila Uba said.

He said the withdrawal is a part of the engagement and some parts of the security partnership will continue.

Nigeria is facing a serious security crisis. Jihadist groups and other criminal groups carry out several attacks across the country. Since President Bola Tinubu came to power, the crisis has worsened, spreading southward.

Analysts say that despite the deployment of troops and U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims on the security crisis, little has changed on the ground. Last week, scores of people were abducted in the central region of the country.