U.S., Mauritania united in fight against terrorism

Photo By Sgt. Olivia McDonald | The team of Marines and Sailors training with Mauritania’s Logistic Battalion was...... read more read more

Photo By Sgt. Olivia McDonald | The team of Marines and Sailors training with Mauritania’s Logistic Battalion was awarded the president’s ‘Medalle d’Honneur’ during a ceremony in Tiguet, Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Feb. 19, 2016. Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa spent five weeks with their Mauritanian counterparts training specialties including motor transportation and operations, supply, communications, medical and marksmanship. The training between the two militaries builds the Mauritanians’ logistics capacity to provide sovereign security and counter terrorism while strengthening the bond between the two countries. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Olivia McDonald/Released)  see less | View Image Page

TIGUENT, MAURITANIA

02.24.2016

Story by Cpl. Olivia McDonald 

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa     

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TIGUENT, Islamic Republic of Mauritania – U.S. Marines stood proud as they watched soldiers with the Mauritanian Logistics Battalion graduate a month-long training exercise in Tiguent, Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Feb. 17, in front of the country’s deputy minister of defense, the U.S. ambassador and other senior officials.

At the request of the Mauritanian government and the U.S. Embassy in Nouakchott, Marines and sailors with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa spent Jan. 18 through Feb.19 training the Mauritanian Logistics Battalion in motor transportation maintenance and operations, supply, communications, medical and weapons marksmanship.

The training mission aimed to empower the battalion to effectively provide logistic capabilities support to units across the country, such as the country’s special forces unit Groupement Special d'Intervention, or GSI, which is responsible for securing the borders around Mali and other regions of unrest.

The Marines built the battalion’s counterterrorism capacities to disrupt terrorist activities, deny safe haven and counter influences in the Operation Juniper Shield area of responsibility, formerly known as Operation Enduring Freedom Trans Sahara. Operation Juniper Shield includes countries such as Algeria, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Nigeria and Morocco.

The battalion commander, Maj. Mohamed Salem Abeid, said the unit is responsible for providing logistical support such as drivers and communications to units along the border of Mali and other areas of unrest and for peacekeeping operations in Central African Republic.

“We used to have lot of skirmishes at the borders,” said Abied. “Now with [U.S.] help over these past few years we have the knowledge and experience to secure our border, maintain it and assist other areas in Africa.”

The month-long mission culminated in a final exercise when the Marines evaluated how the soldiers reacted to challenges they faced during a notional convoy providing logistical support to a downed vehicle. Along the route, they encountered simulated improvised explosive devices, small-arms fire and casualties while still completing the mission of fixing and recovering the disabled vehicle.

Mauritanian Sgt. Ahmed Elveth Amar, a medic and weapons specialist with the battalion, said the final exercise was able to show, not just the Marines, but the people of his country that he and his unit are more than ready to help his country against terrorism.

“This training absolutely makes us a stronger unit,” said Amar. “The more knowledge you have the more experience you have is what makes you a strong base or unit.”

Staff Sgt. Chris Blas, the SPMAGTF-CR-AF team chief, said the battalion’s soldiers are a group of professionals who are dedicated in making their country safer for their people.

“Since we arrived in Mauritania, the soldiers were eager to start the training,” said Blas. “They are proud of the fact that their country is fighting terrorism. We’re proud too, because we share the same commitment in defeating terrorists.”

In an emailed response about the Marines’ impact on the country, Ryan Grizzel, the public affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy in Nouakchott, said the Islamic Republic of Mauritania president and other senior officials regularly cite the security cooperation missions as “highly successful as it’s a major factor in the elimination of extremist and terrorist violence here since 2011.”

The Mauritanian Logistics Battalion soldiers were recognized for their accomplishments during their graduation ceremony, Feb. 19. U.S. ambassador to Mauritania, Larry Andre, attended the ceremony and spoke about the importance of the nations’ shared concern for stopping terrorism.

“We are in the same fight,” Andre said. “The enemy that has come to your country and killed the citizens of your country and the foreign guests in your country. They have also come to our country and killed the citizens of our country and the foreign guests in our country.”

Since 2010, when the Mauritanian government adopted an anti-terrorism law, which gave its security forces greater power to fight terrorists, the country has foiled terrorists’ attacks and have arrested scores of Al-Qaeda terrorists.

“After you have secured your country and continue to secure it, you are going even further than that. You are now exporting security to other countries in need,” Andre said. “The whole world is now admiring how Mauritanian military is participating in the peace keeping operation in the Central African Republic.”