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More than 30 nations kick off Flintlock 2019 in Burkina Faso, Mauritania

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Mark Hicks, commander, Special Operations Command Africa, inspects service members from participating nations during a pass and review portion of the opening ceremony to Flintlock 2019. This year’s exercise is being hosted by Burkina Faso with a key outstation in Mauritania. (U.S. Navy photo by MC2 (SW/AW) Evan Parker / released)

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Photo by: Petty Officer 2nd Class Douglas Parker 

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More than 30 nations kick off Flintlock 2019 in Burkina Faso, Mauritania

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Mark Hicks, Commander, Special Operations Command Africa, renders honors during a pass and review portion of the opening ceremony to Flintlock 2019. Approximately 2,000 service members from more than 30 African and western partner nations are participating in Flintlock 2019 at multiple locations in Burkina Faso and a key outstation in Mauritania. (U.S. Navy photo by MC2 (SW/AW) Evan Parker / released)

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Photo by: Petty Officer 2nd Class Douglas Parker 

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More than 30 nations kick off Flintlock 2019 in Burkina Faso, Mauritania

Members of the Burkinabe honor guard stand ready to be called to attention before the opening ceremony of Flintlock 2019, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Flintlock is an annual African-led, integrated military and law enforcement exercise that has strengthened key partner nation forces throughout North and West Africa as well as western special operations forces since 2005. (U.S. Navy photo by MC2 (SW/AW) Evan Parker / released)

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Photo by: Petty Officer 2nd Class Douglas Parker 

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More than 30 nations kick off Flintlock 2019 in Burkina Faso, Mauritania

Burkinabe Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs, Chèrif Sy welcomes participants and partner nations to this year’s Flintlock 2019, a multi-national special operations exercise hosted by Burkina Faso. By bringing members of the G5 Sahel, Multinational Joint Task Force, and various troop contributing nations together to develop and implement complimentary tactical operations, Flintlock 2019 better enables African partners to conduct real world missions structured around a coherent campaign plan. (U.S. Navy photo by MC2 (SW/AW) Evan Parker / released)

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Photo by: Petty Officer 2nd Class Douglas Parker 

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More than 30 nations kick off Flintlock 2019 in Burkina Faso, Mauritania

U.S. Africa Command director of intelligence, Rear Adm. Heidi Berg, attends the opening ceremony to Flintlock 2019, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Flintlock is U.S. Africa Command's premier and largest special operations forces exercise.(U.S. Navy photo by MC2 (SW/AW) Evan Parker / released)

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More than 30 nations kick off Flintlock 2019 in Burkina Faso, Mauritania

Minister of Defense and Veteran affairs, Chèrif Sy (left), U.S. Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Andrew Young, and U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Mark Hicks, Commander, Special Operations Command Africa (Right), render honors during a pass and review portion of the opening ceremony to Flintlock 2019. This year’s exercise is being hosted by Burkina Faso with a key outstation in Mauritania. Flintlock 2019 builds the capacity of participating nations to support regional cooperation, security and interoperability. (U.S. Navy photo by MC2 (SW/AW) Evan Parker / released)

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Photo by: Petty Officer 2nd Class Douglas Parker 

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso – Exercise Flintlock 2019 officially kicked off during an opening ceremony Feb. 18, 2019 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Approximately 2,000 service members from more than 30 African and western partner nations are participating in Flintlock 2019 at multiple locations in Burkina Faso with a key outstation in Mauritania.

Flintlock is an annual African-led, integrated multi-agency, military and law enforcement exercise that builds the capacity of participating African and western nations to support regional cooperation, security and interoperability.

“Terrorism is a global threat to all of us, and we can only defeat it if we fight against it together,” said Amb. Andrew Young, U.S. Ambassador to Burkina Faso. “Flintlock is a perfect opportunity to learn how to fight side-by-side with each other.”

Flintlock 2019 builds on the successes of 2018 by emphasizing operational-level advising and assisting. As part of that effort, a Joint Multinational Headquarters was established at Camp Zagre, Burkina Faso. The JMHQ is designed to exert realistic command and control over tactical units at four different locations in Burkina Faso and Mauritania.

This will allow participants to develop coherent strategies and campaigns in order to ensure tactical units are building on one another’s efforts rather than conducting desynchronized operations, said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Mark Hicks, commander, Special Operations Command Africa.

“Unity of effort is a foundational principle for successful military engagements, and nowhere is that more evident than here, in Africa, where we’re fighting a ruthless enemy that respects no borders and recognizes no sovereign governments,” Hicks said. “We all need to work in concert to defeat this foe, and I’m confident Flintlock will enable us to do just that.”

Flintlock 2019 brings together the G5 Sahel, Multinational Joint Task Force and troop contributing nations to conduct complimentary scenario-based tactical operations.

“The security situation in the Sahel and Saharan space, marked by an increased tempo of armed terrorist group activities in central Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, is a matter of concern for our states and a reminder of the fragility of our respective spaces caused by the threat of terrorism,” said Burkinabe Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs Chèrif Sy.

International military cooperation through military exercises, like Flintlock, is one of the important links in building an effective counter-terrorism strategy for a strong and stable Trans-Saharan region, he said. Bringing together the nations of these multinational organizations, such as the G5 Sahel are critical, to improving security in the region.

“The G5 Sahel is one of the key multilateral institutions that’s allowing us to fight this growth of terrorism that we are seeing,” said Rear Adm. Heidi Berg, U.S. Africa Command director of intelligence. “The violent extremist organizations that range across the borders that make it even more important to have coordination on a multilateral level between our key partners.”

Flintlock as an exercise, began 51 years ago as an opportunity for America to train European allies during the Cold War. It shifted to Africa in the late 1980s.

“In 2005, Flintlock became what we know it as today: a Sahel-focused, special operations engagement designed to enable our African partners in the fight against our common enemies,” Hicks said.

For the first time in Flintlock’s history, African nations will be training other African forces during the exercise.

“The importance of this development cannot be overstated,” he said. “We are seeing our African partners take ownership of their regional problems and truly evolve into exporters of security.”

Flintlock is more than just a military exercise. It incorporates law enforcement training with Burkinabe police forces and the transition of militants to the civilian justice system for prosecution. Civil affairs teams are working with non-governmental organizations and community leaders to provide medical training and care to local populations. The U.S. embassy is hosting an event designed to communicate the importance of women and civil societies in de-radicalization programs.

“Our commitment will last far beyond Flintlock as well,” Hicks said. “The lessons we learn during Flintlock will bring us tangibly closer to securing a peaceful future for your nations and your children.”