In Côte d'Ivoire, end of the Flintlock 2023 military exercise for the fight against terrorism
Flintlock exercise, in Jacqueville, Ivory Coast, March 2023. © Bineta Diagne / RFI
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
For two weeks, 1,300 soldiers from 29 countries were trained in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire to better fight the terrorist threat.
This training was notably organized by the special operation of the US Africa Command.
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With our special correspondent in Jacqueville,
Bineta Diagne
Two armed groups met in an abandoned building in the middle of the forest.
After a few moments, armed forces appear and discreetly enter this building.
Their objective: to capture targets considered to be of "
high value
", without killing them.
All in a hostile environment.
Major Nick, oversee this training.
“
When you first enter a house, you don't know how it is laid out inside.
And things are constantly changing, because individuals are on the move.
There are many obstacles: tables, chairs, beds… these are also potential hiding places.
»
For two weeks, the soldiers trained in particular to collect and analyze information.
This exercise has been organized
on a regular basis
since 2005. For the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Côte d'Ivoire, General Lassina Doumbia, this makes it possible to adapt to the threat of armed terrorist groups.
“
It allows us to anticipate changes in the threat.
Terrorist armed groups evolve in their methods, so we need to have constantly updated capabilities.
And to do so, it is the sharing of experience, of know-how with other units, which allows our specialized units to be up to date.
»
Beyond the techniques to fight against threats, the challenge is also to "
protect civilians
", underlines Jessica Davis Ba, the United States ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire, at the end of this training.
►Also read: Côte d'Ivoire strengthens its military personnel
(in 2021)
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Continue reading on the same topics:
Ivory Coast
Defense
UNITED STATES
Terrorism