Statement from AFRICOM Commander U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend on the activation of Joint Task Force - Quartz

The United States is not withdrawing or disengaging from East Africa. We remain committed to helping our African partners build a more secure future. We also remain capable of striking Al-Shabaab at the time and place of our choosing—they should not test us.

By U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs , United States Africa Command Stuttgart, Germany Dec 19, 2020

View Gallery

Gallery contains 1 image

Statement attributable to U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, U.S. Africa Command commander.

I directed the activation of a joint task force, JTF-Quartz, built around the headquarters of Special Operations Command-Africa, to oversee Operation Octave Quartz, the directed re-positioning of U.S. forces from Somalia to other bases in East Africa.

JTF-Quartz is commanded by the SOCAF commander, Maj. Gen. Dag Anderson. I have just returned from visiting him at his forward headquarters in East Africa where I met with Dag and his commanders to review their posture and plans. JTF-Quartz is ready to go.

To be clear, the U.S. is not withdrawing or disengaging from East Africa. We remain committed to helping our African partners build a more secure future. We also remain capable of striking Al-Shabaab at the time and place of our choosing—they should not test us.

US and Southern African Chaplains Forge Bonds of Cooperation in Zambia

Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM target al-Shabaab

U.S. Africa Command Civilian Casualty Assessment Report; 1st Quarter, FY2024

U.S. forces engage insurgents in support of the Federal Government of Somalia

USAFE-AFAFRICA Airmen team with Zambian counterparts for Domestic Violence Awareness Workshop

Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM target al-Shabaab

At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike against the al-Shabaab terrorist group on Mar. 10.

U.S. Africa Command Civilian Casualty Assessment Report; 1st Quarter, FY2024

In the latest quarterly civilian casualty assessment report period ending Dec. 31, 2023, U.S. Africa Command received two (2) new reports of civilian casualties which were found to be unsubstantiated. There were no open reports carried over from previous quarters. As of the end of this reporting period, there are no open reports.

U.S. forces engage insurgents in support of the Federal Government of Somalia

At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense against the al Shabaab terrorist group on Mar. 2.

Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM target al-Shabaab

At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike against the al-Shabaab terrorist group on Mar. 10.

U.S. Africa Command Civilian Casualty Assessment Report; 1st Quarter, FY2024

U.S. forces engage insurgents in support of the Federal Government of Somalia

At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense against the al Shabaab terrorist group on Mar. 2.

Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM target al-Shabaab

At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike against the al-Shabaab terrorist group on Mar. 10.

U.S. Africa Command Civilian Casualty Assessment Report; 1st Quarter, FY2024

U.S. forces engage insurgents in support of the Federal Government of Somalia

At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense against the al Shabaab terrorist group on Mar. 2.

United States Africa Command

Statement from AFRICOM Commander U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend on the activation of Joint Task Force - Quartz

The United States is not withdrawing or disengaging from East Africa. We remain committed to helping our African partners build a more secure future. We also remain capable of striking Al-Shabaab at the time and place of our choosing—they should not test us.

AFRICOM logo JPG_release thumbnail.png