Operation Juniper Shield

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Operation Juniper Shield
Sahara Desert and North Africa, West Africa
Result Ongoing
Belligerents

 Algeria
 Morocco
Mauritania Mauritania
Tunisia Tunisia
Burkina Faso Burkina Faso
 Chad
 Mali
 Niger
Nigeria Nigeria
 Senegal
Cameroon Cameroon
Togo Togo
Ghana Ghana
Ivory Coast Ivory Coast
Benin Benin
Cape Verde Cape Verde
The Gambia Gambia
Guinea Guinea
Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Bissau
Liberia Liberia
Sierra Leone Sierra Leone

Islamic militants


ISIL

Commanders and leaders
  • Algeria Abdelmadjid Tebboune
    (2019–present)
  • Algeria Aymen Benabderrahmane
    (2021–present)
  • Morocco Mohammed VI
    (2007–present)
  • Morocco Aziz Akhannouch
    (2021–present)
  • Mauritania Mohamed Ould Ghazouani
    (2019–present)
  • Mauritania Mohamed Ould Bilal
    (2020–present)
  • Tunisia Kais Saied
    (2019–present)
  • Tunisia Ahmed Hachani
    (2023–present)
  • Burkina Faso Ibrahim Traoré
    (2022–present)
  • Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla

    (2022–present)
  • Chad Mahamat Déby
    (2021–present)
  • Chad Saleh Kebzabo
    (2022–present)
  • Mali Assimi Goïta
    (2021–present)
  • Mali Choguel Kokalla Maïga
    (2021–present)
  • Niger Abdourahamane Tchiani
    (2023–present)
  • Niger Ali Lamine Zeine
    (2023–present)
  • Nigeria Bola Tinubu
    (2023–present)
  • Senegal Macky Sall
    (2012–present)
  • Amadou Ba

    (2022–present)
  • Cameroon Paul Biya
    (2007–present)
  • Cameroon Joseph Ngute
    (2019–present)
  • Togo Faure Gnassingbé
    (2007–present)
  • Togo Victoire Tomegah Dogbé
    (2020–present)
  • Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo
    (2017–present)
  • Ivory Coast Alassane Ouattara
    (2010–present)
  • Ivory Coast Patrick Achi
    (2021–present)
  • Benin Patrice Talon
    (2016–present)
  • Cape Verde José Maria Neves
    (2021–present)
  • Cape Verde Ulisses Correia e Silva
    (2016–present)
  • The Gambia Adama Barrow
    (2017–present)
  • Guinea Mamady Doumbouya
    (2021–present)
  • Guinea Bernard Goumou
    (2022–present)
  • Guinea-Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embaló
    (2020–present)
  • Guinea-Bissau Geraldo Martins
    (2023–present)
  • Liberia George Weah
    (2018–present)
  • Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio
    (2018–present)
  • United States Joe Biden
    (2021–present)
  • United Kingdom Charles III
    (2022–present)
  • United Kingdom Rishi Sunak
    (2022–present)
  • Canada Mary Simon
    (2021–present)
  • Canada Justin Trudeau
    (2015–present)
  • France Emmanuel Macron
    (2017–present)
  • France Élisabeth Borne
    (2022–present)
  • Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier
    (2017–present)
  • Germany Olaf Scholz
    (2021–present)
  • Netherlands Willem-Alexander
    (2013–present)
  • Netherlands Mark Rutte
    (2010–present)
  • Spain Felipe VI
    (2014–present)
  • Spain Pedro Sánchez
    (2018–present)
  • Margrethe II

    (2007–present)
  • Denmark Mette Frederiksen
    (2019–present)
  • Czech Republic Petr Pavel
    (2023–present)
  • Czech Republic Petr Fiala
    (2021–present)
  • Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf
    (2007–present)
  • Sweden Ulf Kristersson
    (2022–present)
  • Former
    Abdelmalek Droukdel 
    Abu Ubaidah Youssef al-Annabi[15]
    Mokhtar Belmokhtar [16]
    Tiyib Ould Sidi Ali [17]
    Athmane Touati Surrendered[18]
    Winan Bin Yousef (POW)[19]Strength 1,325+ American advisors & trainers;[3][20]
    900 Moroccans;[20]
    400 Malians;[3]
    250 Algerians;
    200 Chadians;
    <1,000 Mauritanians;[21]
    25 Senegalese medical doctors AQIM: 400-4,000[22]
    Tuaregs: ~1,000[23]
    Boko Haram: 300–2,000+[24]Casualties and losses Unknown Unknown Causes: September 11 attacks and 2003 Casablanca bombings

    Operation Juniper Shield, formerly known as Operation Enduring Freedom – Trans Sahara (OEF-TS), is the military operation conducted by the United States and partner nations in the

    War on Terrorism (GWOT). The other OEF mission in Africa is Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa
    (OEF-HOA).

    Canada deployed teams of less than 15 CSOR members to Mali throughout 2011 to help combat militants in the Sahara.[2] Although the special forces will not engage in combat, they will train the Malian military in basic soldiering. Areas include communications, planning, first aid, and providing aid to the general populace.[2]

    Mission

    Operation Enduring Freedom Trans Sahara is primarily a training mission meant to equip 10 nations to combat insurgents in the region.[29] Africa Command states:

    OEF-TS is the USG's 3rd priority counter terror effort conducting activities that support TSCTP but are not exclusive to TSCTP. OEF-TS supports TSCTP by forming relationships of peace, security, and cooperation among all Trans Sahara Nations. OEF-TS fosters collaboration and communication among participating countries. Furthermore, OEF-TS strengthens counterterrorism and border security, promotes democratic governance, reinforces bilateral military ties, and enhances development and institution building. U.S. Africa Command, through OEF-TS, provides training, equipment, assistance and advice to partner nation armed forces. This increases their capacity and capability to deny safe haven to terrorists and ultimately defeat extremist and terrorist activities in the region.[29]

    At some point in 2013, OEF-TS was redesignated as Operation Juniper Shield.[30] Operation Juniper Shield encompasses American operations across Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tunisia.[31]

    Training programs

    Flintlock

    Nigerien soldiers train during Flintlock 2018 training exercises.

    Twice a year, the Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) program holds a multinational training exercise.[32] Called Flintlocks, these exercises are meant to strengthen special forces from the United States as well as multiple other nations.[32] Participants include troops from the Sahel and those from NATO members.[32] Flintlock started in 1988 and continued through Operation Enduring Freedom, and is now held in Africa.[32] The exercises teach medical operations, infantry and peacekeeping training, airborne operations, humanitarian relief, and leadership skills.[32] The amount each category is stressed depends on the host nation's needs.[32] In addition, participants are put through different scenarios involving skills instructed during the exercise.[33]

    Mali was supposed to host the 2012 exercise, but the United States decided to postpone the exercise.[34] Officials say Flintlock was postponed because Mali is facing a renewed Tuareg insurgency.[34]

    The Atlas Accord

    Although the Flintlock Exercise was postponed, another training program in Mali was not. The Atlas Accord was created in 2012 to train African military personnel in a number of skills while focusing on logistics.[3] The exercise includes classroom instruction and field instruction.[3] Atlas Accord 12 focused solely on logistics and aerial resupply, while the next exercise in 2013 will continue training in aerial logistics but will also include command, control, communications, and computer (C4) techniques.[3]

    African Lion exercise

    The largest training exercise, African Lion, is an annual security cooperation exercise held by the US and Morocco.[35] Created in 2008, this program is designed to instruct a variety of skills, including aerial logistics, non-lethal weapons training, combined arms and maneuver exercises.[35] More than 900 Moroccans and 1,200 Americans take part in the two-week exercise.[35]

    History

    On 12 September 2007, a USAF

    C-130 was damaged from rifle fire by Tuareg forces while the aircraft was engaged in a supply drop to besieged Malian soldiers, no Americans were wounded in the incident.[36] The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) established the Joint Special Operations Task Force–Trans Sahara (JSOTF-TS)[37] to help combat terrorism in the region. In 2012, the name of Operation Enduring Freedom - Trans Sahara transitioned to Operation Juniper Shield, although the operation was still referred to in US Government sources as OEF-TS as late as 2014.[38][39]

    US Army Special Forces soldiers are also advising and assisting Niger's military to build up their fighting capability to counter the terrorists.[40] CNN reported that following the Tongo Tongo ambush in October 2017, which left 4 US soldiers killed, the government of Niger granted the US military the authority to arm its drones in Niger; the US military had been seeking the authority to arm its drones in Niger for months prior to the ambush.[41]

    ABC News also reported that there are 300 U.S. military personnel in

    The Nigerien crisis
    .

    See also

    References

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    2. ^
      Montreal Gazette. 2 December 2011. Archived from the original
      on 6 January 2012.
    3. ^ a b c d e f "US, Mali Armies Kick off Exercise Atlas Accord; Postpone Exercise Flintlock". Defense Web. 13 February 2012. Archived from the original on 18 May 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
    4. ^ "French Hostage Executed after raid on Al-Qaeda base". France 24 news. 26 July 2011. Archived from the original on 10 December 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
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    Sources

    External links