Deployment of troops and Special Forces in Africa, and increasingly in sub-Saharan Africa, is not too well known to the American public. Nick Turse, managing editor of TomDispatch.com, and a fellow at the Nation Institute has been keeping track of developments in the African front of the "war on terror" for years. So, here he provides background for those who may be interested, in view of the recent incident in Niger. Some 1000 US troops are deployed in Niger, in the region of the Chad Basin, a region spanning several African sub-Saharan nations:
https://news.vice.com/story/the-u-s...adow-war-in-africa-exclusive-documents-reveal
"Six years ago, a deputy commanding general for U.S. Army Special Operations Command gave a conservative estimate of 116 missions being carried out at any one time by Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets, and other special operations forces across the globe.
Today, according to U.S. military documents obtained by VICE News, special operators are carrying out nearly 100 missions at any given time — in Africa alone. It’s the latest sign of the military’s quiet but ever-expanding presence on the continent, one that represents the most dramatic growth in the deployment of America’s elite troops to any region of the globe.
In 2006, just 1 percent of all U.S. commandos deployed overseas were in Africa. In 2010, it was 3 percent. By 2016, that number had jumped to more than 17 percent. In fact, according to data supplied by U.S. Special Operations Command, there are now more special operations personnel devoted to Africa than anywhere except the Middle East — 1,700 people spread out across 20 countries dedicated to assisting the U.S. military’s African partners in their fight against terrorism and extremism.
"Africa’s challenges could create a threat that surpasses the threat that the United States currently faces from conflict in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria,” Bolduc warned. He went on to cite a laundry list of challenges with which he and his personnel must contend: ever-expanding illicit networks, terrorist safe havens, attempts to subvert government authority, a steady stream of new recruits and resources".
See also:
http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175818/tomgram:_nick_turse,_american_proxy_wars_in_africa