The US-led Flintlock military exercise is training African soldiers to contain the spread of extremist violence in the Sahel region towards coastal states.Â
The annual US-led military exercise known as Flintlock is training soldiers from African countries to combat the spread of extremist violence from the Sahel region to coastal states like Ghana. This year’s training involves 1,300 soldiers from 29 countries, aiming to boost their capacity to deal with surging jihadi violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. The training is taking place amid growing anti-French sentiment in West Africa, and some countries have ended their military cooperation with France. The multinational staff headquarters based in Accra, Ghana, is the main focus of operations this year, assessing and enhancing the ability of participants to address regional security issues. The exercises strengthen partnerships between African, US, and other international military and police organizations to increase security and stability in the region.Â
