Intelligence. Comprehensive approach, analysis and security capabilities.Mali-Sahel Region
08/01/2021 – The December event was attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of Defence Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd); the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; and the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, as well as other dignitaries. Continuer à lire … « Second Nigerian Air Force Mi-171E inducted »
22/12/2020 -Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) is going to replace its 110-member contingent at United Nations Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).
Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Masihuzzaman Serniabat briefed the members of contingent at BAF Base Bashar, Tejgaon today, said a press release.
While addressing the briefing, Chief of Air Staff advised them to discharge their duties with honesty, professionalism and sincerity to uphold good reputation for BAF as well as for the country.
He emphasized on preventive actions to reduce the transmission of Coronavirus and remain extra careful about it.
Thereafter, he participated in a special munajat arranged for success of the contingent.
A total 110 BAF members will depart in the 1st week of January 2021 for Mali led by contingent commander Group Captain Abdullah Al Farooq.
Among others, Principal Staff Officers of Air Headquarters, Air Officers of Dhaka area, senior BAF officers of Air Headquarters and Bases were present on the occasion.
BSS News
Sahel-Elite (Bamako-Mali)
22/12/2020- An Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) platoon newly-slated for the French-led counter-insurgency Operation Barkhane has largely arrived in the West African country of Mali, Baltic News Service reports.
The bulk of the BKN-08 Estpla personnel arrived in the city of Gao, where the EDF has been based for several years, while Maj. Vjatseslav Senin relieved Maj. Argo Sibul of command, as per schedule, the defense ministry says.
Maj. Senin said that in cooperating with its allies, the EDF is boosting the security of not only the local populace, but also, ultimately, Europe, and with it, Estonia.
He said: « The main group of the infantry platoon arrived today and is about to achieve initial combat readiness in a few hours. BKN-08 Estpla will start performing its duties in a few days already. »
Operation Barkhane as a whole inolves several of the Sahel nations, many of them former French colonies, and thus a vast swathe of territory, and is also focused on combating human trafficking and terrorism.
Estonia’s rationale for taking part primarily revolves around a trade-off; helping to secure the EU’s southern approaches in Operation Barkhane and other initiatives in return for the presence of both the EU and NATO in Estonia, at Tapa and Ämari and with it the securing of the union’s eastern flank.
Maj. Senin expressed his gratitude to the previous contingent for a seamless handover procedure, wishing them a safe trip back home and a happy time with family during the upcoming holidays.
Junior Warrant Officer Janek Pent from BKN-08 Espla said concurred that the takeover of responsibilities and duties from the outgoing platoon had gone smoothly.
He said: « We went on patrol with the previous platoon three times and received a very good overview of our area of responsibility and the environment. The fact that all squad leaders have participated in the operation Barkhane and are familiar with the area of responsibility helped a lot; in addition, we have a detailed overview of the other tasks of our platoon, which are guarding of the base and rapid response to emergencies. The main unit just arrived, we will achieve tentative combat capability in a few hours and full combat capability in a few days. »
Gao, on the banks of the River Niger, is temporary home to over 1,500 troops from several countries involved in Operation Barkhane, with the EDF component tasked with patrolling, base protection and manning of a rapid response unit.
ERR News
Sahel-Elite (Bamako-Mali) | Photo: EDF member from a previous rotation (Espla-30) on patrol in Gao, Mali. Source: mil.ee
Continuer à lire … « Mali – New EDF contingent starts Mali anti-insurgency operation service »
02/10/2020 – Morocco’s Minister of Justice Mohamed Ben Abdelkader said on Thursday that Morocco is ready to upgrade its judicial and institutional tools to combat money laundering and terrorism financing.
The minister’s declaration took place at a meeting with the National ِAssociation of Notaries under the theme, “The role of justice in the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.” Continuer à lire … « Morocco Upgrades Legal Tools to Combat Money Laundering, Terrorism Fiancing »
02/10/2020 Rabat – US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper signed a military cooperation deal Friday with Morocco, his final stop on a Maghreb tour aimed at beefing up the fight against terrorism and Islamic extremists in war-torn the Sahel and helping reach a settlement in Libya. Continuer à lire … « Esper reaffirms close security ties between US, Morocco »
01/10/2020 – Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper and Tunisian Defense Minister Ibrahim Bartagi agreed on a road map for defense cooperation during meetings in the capital city of Tunis.
The road map discussed yesterday charts a 10-year course for cooperation between the two countries.
Tunisia is a major non-NATO ally of the United States and already works with the Defense Department on many shared interests and concerns. The agreement will advance these shared security interests, said a U.S. defense official traveling with the secretary.
The road map recognizes the importance of the U.S.-Tunisian relationship in North Africa and the Mediterranean. Tunisia is a « security exporter » in the region, participating in many exercises and cooperating with other nations in security matters.
Terrorism and threats from violent extremist organizations are always a danger in the region, and Tunisia is intimately involved in looking for solutions to the migrant crisis. Esper said he is impressed by the Tunisians’ efforts to enhance their capabilities against terrorists, but also to promote stability and security on the African continent.
« The road map is a shared understanding of where our shared priorities are, » the defense official said speaking on background. « It talks about shared objectives, shared interests and shared threats. These are areas where we can work together. »
The road map took two years to negotiate, and it is a clear-eyed look at the relationship and suggests ways to close capability gaps. « We both want to improve [Tunisia’s] military capabilities and training to improve [U.S. and Tunisian] interoperability. »
Some of the shared interests include freedom of navigation, intelligence sharing, humanitarian operations and disaster relief, the official said.
The official would not speak specifically on what gaps the nations see in their military capabilities, but spoke of gaps that African nations, in general, experience — airlift, command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance shortages and the like.
The 10-year road map is a relatively new program. It allows the nations to begin the planning and funding cycles in such a way as to build incrementally. The official said this may be a blueprint for negotiations with other nations in Africa and elsewhere.
, DOD NEWS
US DEPT OF DEFENSE
Sahel-Elite (Bamako-Mali)
Algiers-Reuters
01/10/2020 U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper made a rare visit to Algeria on Thursday for talks with the president about war-torn Libya and the troubled Sahel region to the south of the Sahara.
oth countries are alarmed by the threat posed by Islamist militant groups in North Africa and the Sahel, and Algeria is weighing a more active military role against them outside its own borders.
They held “talks on Libya and the Sahel and both parties agreed to maintain cooperation and coordination,” a statement from Algeria’s presidency said.
Esper’s visit is the first by a U.S. Defense Secretary to Algeria since Donald Rumsfeld’s in 2006 and he is also the most senior American official yet to meet President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
Tebboune took office in December after last year’s mass protests led the army to push his predecessor Abdelaziz Bouteflika to step down after 20 years in power.
The new president has proposed changes to the constitution aimed at mollifying the opposition protest movement, but the reforms would also give the army new powers to intervene in neighbouring states.
“Mark Esper wants to discuss the Algerian army’s possible role in the region once the new constitution is passed as it allows peace-keeping operations overseas,” a Western diplomat in Algeria familiar with the matter told Reuters.
An Algerian source said the talks were expected to focus on Libya, where nine years of chaos after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi have created space for militants, and Mali, where French troops are trying to help quell an Islamist insurgency.
“Algeria has an influence in Mali. It showed it can help. The Americans understood that French military intervention did not curb terrorism,” a senior Algerian security source, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.
“As for Libya, it is well known that Algeria maintains good ties with all the players including tribes and personalities,” the senior source told Reuters.
REUTERS
Sahel-Elite (Bamako-Mali)
Written By: Abdulkader Assad
28/08/2020 – The Head of the Presidential Council Fayez Al-Sarraj discusses with the US-based security firm « Jones Group International » shared visions for building the capabilities of Libyan security personnel, and fighting extremism and terrorism. Continuer à lire … « Libya/US : Al-Sarraj discusses security arrangements with US Jones Group International »
26/08/2020 – Communication Minister and Spokesperson of Algeria’s government Ammar Belhimer has said Morocco is a “neighbor and brother country,” recalling the historic and cultural depth that the two countries share.
When asked about the Morocco-Algeria crisis in an interview with Russia’s state-sponsored Sputnik News, Belhimer said the two countries share a mutual goal: A unified Maghreb. Continuer à lire … « Algerian Minister: Algeria Open to Dialogue With Morocco »
26/08/2020 – US company Apogee-SSU is training Cessna 208B Caravan crews of the Cameroonian, Nigerien and Chadian air forces under a United States government contract.
The US Department of State recently renewed the company’s training contract, Africa Intelligence reports, and Apogee-SSU said on its website it has openings in Africa performing services for the Department of State (DOS), Bureau of African Affairs. This requirement is for the full-time services of three Technical Advisors to train selected aviation personnel in Cameroon, Chad and Niger on Cessna 208B aircraft and respective mission equipment, such as Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) and/or Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC), so that partner nation aviation personnel are self-sufficient in the operations and maintenance tasks of Caravan aircraft. Continuer à lire … « USA – Apogee-SSU to continue training west African pilots #Chad #Niger »
Sahel-Elite (Bamako-Mali) 