US secretly expanding military role in Tunisia’

NEW YORK. - A recent report suggests the United States is quietly expanding its role in Tunisia’s operations against militants near the western borders amid controversy inside the North African state over Washington’s military presence there.

The National Interest magazine earlier this month referred to a report by Task & Purpose - a news site run by military veterans - which said US Marine Corps Raiders were involved in a fierce battle in 2017 in an unnamed North African country, “where they fought beside partner forces” against what it called al-Qaeda militants. Based on research and analysis carried out by the National Interest, the unnamed country could be Tunisia. The Task & Purpose report cited a source with the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) as saying that two US Marines had received citations for valor for that 2017 operation, without providing details about the location due to “classification considerations, force protection, and diplomatic sensitivities.” The National Interest said the events in the award citations match those that had taken place in Tunisia back then. Research and analysis strongly suggest US involvement runs much deeper” than what is conveyed to the US public, the Interest wrote.

The US has maintained a military presence in Tunisia since 2014, when several dozen Special Operations Forces troops were deployed to the North African country’s restive western borderlands. - Press TV.