ADF

ADF STAFF Soldiers from The Gambia and the U.S. joined for a one-week event in August to share knowledge and best practices related to military professionalism and accountability. Members of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) and the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) attended the meeting in Banjul. It focused on topics including the inspector general (IG) system, the rule of law and improving military cooperation between the two nations. “The opportunity to engage in dialogue with our Gambian counterparts was invaluable,” said Lt. Col. Benjamin Barrett, chief of engagements and exercises, SETAF-AF Inspector General office. “By exchanging…

ADF STAFF The Miombo Woodlands covers parts of eight African countries, stretching from Burundi to Angola to southern Mozambique. Yet most of the logging that goes on in the woodlands benefits a single country: China. Unlike the rainforest to the north, the Miombo is described as a dry tropical woodland. Miombo covers 10% of Africa’s landmass and supports the lives of more than 150 million people. It is home to a variety of tree species, many of which carry red-hued wood that is popular among Chinese furniture makers and high-end shoppers. While some of the trees are species known as…

ADF STAFF Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for an August 21 suicide bomb attack that killed 10 people, including seven security officers and two civilians, at a security checkpoint in Mogadishu. In another August attack, al-Shabaab used a car bomb to blow up a Mogadishu café, killing five people and injuring several others who were watching the Euro 2024 soccer finals. Such attacks, as well as the ongoing threat from an estimated 1 million mines and other unexploded ordnance left over from past conflicts, has civilians living in constant fear. Between March and April, Somali civilians accounted for 56% of all casualties…

ADF STAFF Tunisia is on track to buy an undisclosed number of 20-meter Archangel patrol boats from the United States at an estimated cost of $110 million. The purchase will include GPS, navigation and communications systems, and training. “The proposed sale will better equip Tunisia to contribute to shared security objectives, promote regional stability, and build interoperability with the United States and Western partners,” the U.S. State Department announced, adding that the Tunisian Navy uses such boats for “search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, and other maritime-related operations to ensure security in the country and region.” Tunisia already has similar…

ADF STAFF Whether serving in a complex multinational peacekeeping mission or rebuilding a military legal framework from the vestiges of outdated colonial and Cold War doctrines, military legal officers can benefit from their peers’ experiences. That exchange of knowledge was the goal of the seventh iteration of the African Military Law Forum (AMLF), which convened August 27 through 29 in Lusaka, Zambia. The forum brought together about 50 participants from 30 African countries. The Zambia Defence Force co-hosted the event along with U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), U.S. Army Europe and Africa, and the North Carolina National Guard. Zambia Army legal…

ADF STAFF Benin recorded its first incident of extremist violence in 2019, and the number of recorded attacks by Sahelian terror organizations on Beninese soil has risen every year since. There were 20 attacks — mostly by the al-Qaida-affiliated Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), but also by the Islamic State group (IS) — in 2022 and 40 in 2023, according to The Defense Post. The Beninese Army said last year that the country experienced the sharpest rise in extremist militant attacks in Africa as terror groups from neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger increasingly targeted northern Benin, particularly in the W-Arly-Pendjari…

ADF STAFF El-Fasher, the besieged capital of North Darfur, remains in the hands of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) after more than four months of assaults by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The city has become strategically and symbolically important in the battle for control of Darfur. North Darfur, the largest state in Sudan’s western Darfur region, has remained out of the RSF’s control for more than nine months after its forces conquered other states in the region. El-Fasher, one of Sudan’s largest cities, has been under constant RSF attack since April. The SAF and its allied local militias have…

ADF STAFF From Ethiopia to Libya to Mali, armed drones have become an increasingly important part of the battlefield arsenal. The rapid rise of drones powered by artificial intelligence (AI) is raising concerns among experts about how they might be used by security forces and extremist groups. Unlike the most widely used drone technology, which relies on humans to direct the machines, AI-powered drones are capable of identifying potential targets with no human oversight. Such AI-powered technology is rare in Africa currently, but experts worry that the use of autonomous drones could grow, making it possible for terrorist groups to…

ADF STAFF Libyan military officials in August joined military officials from the United States for a three-day workshop in Malta aimed at enhancing cooperation. The officials shared experiences on mitigating crises and reducing harm to civilians during military operations. The talks also centered on community engagement in conflict areas, responding to emerging crises and effective coordination during natural disasters. “This engagement marks a significant step forward in our ongoing cooperation,” a U.S. military official said in a news release. “I’m optimistic this is just the beginning of our collaborative efforts.” Libyan military representatives also emphasized the importance of adaptability and…

ADF STAFF July 26 marked one year since Niger’s military overthrew the country’s democratically elected government. At the time, junta leaders promised to improve security and the economy, issues Nigeriens continue to struggle with today. Moussa Moumouni, who served as security advisor to ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, recently noted that 57 Nigerien Soldiers were killed during the previous government’s two years and four months in office. Since the coup, Niger has lost 780 security personnel in one year, he said. “In terms of security, the situation has worsened,” he told Deutsche Welle. “God only knows how many civilians were killed.”…