Efforts to promote democracy and to professionalize African militaries fighting terrorists are facing uncertainty in the Sahel nation of Mali, where al Qaeda-affiliated terrorists are known to seek safe haven.
An August coup was led by Malian Armed Forces soldiers who received training from U.S. Africa Command.
“The act of mutiny in Mali is strongly condemned,” U.S. Africa Command’s Air Force Col. Chris Karns told the Washington Examiner in confirming that military coup leader Assimi Goita received U.S. training as part of the multinational exercise called Flintlock.
Goita declared himself leader of the military junta controlling a transitional government in the besieged nation, which has suffered multiple coups in the last decade, inhibiting its capacity to wrest control from terrorists in the country’s vast northern region.
Karns said U.S. training emphasizes civilian control of the armed forces and condemns mutinies such as the one that Goita participated in.
“It is an act that is inconsistent with the legitimate role of the military in free societies and everything that is taught in the U.S. military and its training,” Karns said.
The United States and France, with their 5,200 troops under Operation Barkhane, are engaged in a battle to root out terrorists from the Sahel region. In June, a French-led raid that relied on U.S. intelligence killed one of al Qaeda’s top commanders, Abdelmalek Droukdel.
“Al Qaeda and [the] Islamic State have both stated that they intend to attack and undermine the United States, whether that’s directly to the homeland or its U.S. interests abroad,” said Air Force Maj. Gen. Dagvin Anderson, commander of Special Operations Command Africa, during a recent American Enterprise Institute virtual forum.
“That’s why Africa matters to us,” he added.
Anderson said that with ISIS and al Qaeda driven out of Iraq and Syria, the terrorist groups are finding new areas and populations that support them. Mali’s struggle to govern its vast north and to provide basic needs to citizens provide an avenue for terrorist groups to step in.
“Africa is providing them that safe haven, that venue where they can establish themselves. They can develop their means, and then they can eventually establish, whether it’s a caliphate or their area of control, that will give them resources to then carry out these attacks and then undermine the international order and attack the United States and Western allies and partners,” Anderson said. “So, that’s why it matters.”
Karns explained that many Malians have participated in the annual Flintlock training exercise in the Sahel, designed specifically to equip local militaries to root out terrorists without international assistance.
“Col. Goita and many other Malians have participated in Flintlock training exercises focused on countering violent extremist organizations, the rule of law in armed conflict, professionalism, and the primacy of civilian authority,” he said. “U.S. Africa Command has had a partnership and engaged with the Malian Armed Forces to confront violent extremism in the Sahel, a common interest and mutual concern.”
In a recent press call with U.S. Africa Command, AFRICOM Deputy Director of Intelligence Rear Adm. Heidi Berg told the Washington Examiner that the coup would not disrupt U.S. intelligence-sharing with the Malian military.
“From the U.S. military standpoint, we continue to look to provide the kind of coordination support as we look at that transition period,” she said. “The intelligence-sharing relationship is focused on counterterrorism operations.”
AFRICOM is facing increased pressure and an uncertain future. This month, Defense Secretary Mark Esper is due to review its budget. Likewise, President Trump’s decision to pull out 9,500 soldiers from U.S. bases in Germany means Africa Command’s future headquarters is unknown.
Still, Karns underscored how valuable U.S.-sponsored military exercises are on the African continent.
“Thousands of military members from Africa and their partner nations have participated in these types of exercises and training to confront security threats in the region,” he said. “Flintlock has taken place since 2005, resulting in a significant amount of training and valuable assistance over many years.”
