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.

U.S. Forces Conclude Operation Targeting ISIS-Somalia

AFRICA SHIELD 2025: Strengthening Counterproliferation Efforts Across Africa

Gen. Michael Langley

U.S. Africa Command Conducts Change of Command Ceremony

AFRICOM and Kenya Defence forces issue first-ever African chiefs of defense joint communiqué, setting course for continental security opportunities

U.S. Forces Conclude Operation Targeting ISIS-Somalia

U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, concluded a two-week operation Aug. 23, 2025, that included multiple airstrikes targeting ISIS-Somalia in the Puntland region of Somalia.

U.S. Africa Command Quarterly Civilian Harm Assessment Report

U.S. Forces Conduct Series of Strikes Supporting Somali National Army, Targeting al Shabaab

(this is an update to the previous August 1, 2025 press release)

U.S. Forces Conclude Operation Targeting ISIS-Somalia

U.S. Africa Command Quarterly Civilian Harm Assessment Report

U.S. Forces Conduct Series of Strikes Supporting Somali National Army, Targeting al Shabaab

(this is an update to the previous August 1, 2025 press release)

U.S. Forces Conclude Operation Targeting ISIS-Somalia

U.S. Africa Command Quarterly Civilian Harm Assessment Report

U.S. Forces Conduct Series of Strikes Supporting Somali National Army, Targeting al Shabaab

(this is an update to the previous August 1, 2025 press release)

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