Canadian special forces taking part in African training exercise
OTTAWA — Canadian special forces are among those troops taking part in the annual Flintlock military exercise in Africa this month, the U.S. military announced.
Approximately 1,600 service members from more than 30 African and partner nations are participating in Exercise Flintlock 2020 at multiple locations in Mauritania and Senegal from Feb. 17 to Feb. 28, the U.S. Africa Command stated.
Participating African nations include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.
International partners include Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States, according to U.S. Africa Command.
During the exercise, some 25 personnel from Canadian Special Operations Regiment will be partnered with soldiers from les Forces Armées
Nigérienne. They will be operating in Mauritania.
This year marks the tenth year for participation by members of Canada’s special forces in Exercise FLINTLOCK, the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command stated in an email.
According to the email, during Exercise FLINTLOCK
2020, members from Canadian Special Operations Regiment will provide training in the following areas: Law of Armed Conflict, ethics, marksmanship, mounted and dismounted operations, medical and casualty evacuations, and navigation.
The training focuses on core skills and interagency cooperation and coordination.
Flintlock is U.S. Africa Command’s premier and largest annual special operations forces exercise.
It is not focused on any specific security situation but instead on developing capacity and strengthening bonds among exercise participants.