U.S. begins counter-terrorism coaching in Africa amid upheaval

JACQUEVILLE, Ivory Coast, Feb 20 (Reuters) – The US’ yearly counter-terrorism coaching program for African forces started on Sunday in Ivory Coast at a time of upheaval through which Islamist fighters management massive areas, coups are on the rise and French forces are winding down.

The coaching program, generally known as Flintlock, will deliver collectively greater than 400 troopers from throughout West Africa to bolster the talents of forces, a few of that are below common assault by armed teams linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.

These not current included forces from Guinea and two nations worst-hit by Islamist violence, Mali and Burkina Faso. Army juntas have snatched energy in these three nations since 2020, elevating issues a few return to West Africa’s post-colonial repute as a “coup belt”.

Central to this 12 months’s coaching is coordination between totally different forces combating the identical enemy.

“A predominant focus of Flintlock is info sharing. If we won’t talk, we won’t work collectively,” mentioned Admiral Jamie Sands, Commander of the U.S. Particular Operations Command Africa, on the opening ceremony.

Islamist militants roam throughout massive areas of the Sahel, the arid band of terrain south of the Sahara Desert. Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have been overrun by assaults since 2015 which have killed 1000’s and uprooted greater than 2 million individuals. Safety specialists say insurgents have infiltrated coastal nations together with Benin and Ivory Coast.

The teams ghost throughout poorly-policed borders, confounding a mosaic of native and worldwide forces who’ve spent billions of {dollars} attempting eradicate the menace.

France has led the battle towards the militants since 2013, however fashionable opposition to its intervention has grown. Final week it mentioned it could go away Mali, shifting as an alternative to Niger.

Diplomats concern the exit of two,400 French troops from Mali – the epicentre of the violence – may destabilise the area additional.

Reporting by Ange Aboa; Enhancing by Edward McAllister and Toby Chopra

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