More than 1,300 service members from more than 30 African and partner nations participated in Flintlock 2022 in Senegal and across Africa from Feb. 1-28, 2022. 

Flintlock 2022 was hosted by Senegal, with an additional training location hosted for the first time in Cote d’Ivoire. The exercise is designed to strengthen the ability of key partner nations in the region to counter violent extremist organizations, collaborate across borders, and provide security for their people. The willingness of Senegal to host Flintlock 2022 reflects the dedication by African partners to solve regional problems. Additionally, the exercise bolsters partnerships between African, U.S., and international forces and law enforcement agencies, increasing their ability to work together during ongoing multinational operations and in response to crises.

Participating African nations include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tunisia. International participants include Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Other nations are participating as observers.

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Flintlock - U.S. Africa Command’s premier and largest annual special operations exercise - has taken place annually since 2005 across the Sahel region of Africa among nations participating in the Trans-Sahara Counter-Terrorism Partnership and are planned by African-partner nation special operations forces, Special Operations Command - Africa, and the U.S. Department of State to develop the capacity of and collaboration among African security forces to protect civilian populations.