The United States' yearly counter-terrorism training program for African forces began on Sunday in Ivory Coast at a time of upheaval in which Islamist fighters control large areas, coups are on the rise and French forces are winding down.
The training program, known as Flintlock, will bring together more than 400 soldiers from across West Africa to bolster the skills of forces, some of which are under regular attack by armed groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.
"A main focus of Flintlock is information sharing. If we can't communicate, we can't work together," said Admiral Jamie Sands, Commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command Africa, at the opening ceremony. The groups ghost across poorly-policed borders, confounding a mosaic of local and international forces who have spent billions of dollars trying eliminate the threat.
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