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U.S. Marines are in the process of training an elite force of troops in Niger, according to Sept. 23 media reports. The Nigerien force, part of the military's Trans-Sahara Counter Terrorist Initiative, includes 150 soldiers, parachute commandos and reconnaissance snipers who will be expected to use U.S. intelligence to vanquish al Qaeda-linked militants if they attempt to operate in Niger's vast uninhabited regions. At this point, the Niger operation appears to be purely preventive -- but is not the only one of its kind.
Washington's strategic interest in Africa has expanded since the war on terrorism began, which has led to an effort to prevent militants from using African nations as recruiting centers, training grounds, safe havens, planning areas -- and, especially, export centers. The U.S. efforts aim to ensure that African countries are able to fight their own battles against militants -- or at least inform the United States of new problems -- and to ask for help when needed to ensure militants do not become a larger problem than they already have proven to be in some regions of the continent.
Although the world is concentrating on jihadist insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, militant activity exists -- and may be spreading -- throughout Africa. Many high-profile al Qaeda militants come from African countries and have returned to Africa, as the continent offers militants many attractive features: porous borders, instable and corrupt governments, large unpopulated areas, and Islamic populations. In addition, advances in technology, such as satellite phones and GPS devices, allow militants to operate effectively from outlying areas while staying under the radar of local law enforcement who have not been equipped to deal with the threat.
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