Hello,
I recently returned from a trip to Burkina Faso, where I had the opportunity to travel alongside our US military partners as they assessed local needs, met with Burkinabé counterparts, and provided training to their partner force.
Overall, I was incredibly impressed by the Burkinabés. They are one of the most disciplined, competent, and motivated partner forces I have seen in my travels across Africa. However, numbering only around 12,000 and with minimal materiel assets, they are stretched thin by the current threat coming across their northern border with Mali.
The main road through Dori at midday. The oppressive heat and lack of shade keep most locals indoors during the hottest hours but the city comes alive at night.
As we travelled north from the capital of Ouagadougou, towns grew smaller and further apart while the countryside grew noticeably drier and rockier. After a few hours of driving, we made our first stop in Dori at the regional military headquarters. Here, we met with the Regional Commander and stopped for the night.
It was cooler to sleep outside than in the stuffy house or even inside the compound walls. The temperature didn’t dip below 100F until after midnight.
The next day, we travelled onward crossing into the Zone Rouge, the restricted northern portion of the country where risk of militant incursion is particularly high – the first US military/government element to travel to the area. Stopping at a forward operating base in the town of Gorom-Gorom, we took the opportunity to assess the situation, meet with the commander of the unit in charge of patrolling the Zone Rouge – the 11th Regiment d’Infanterie Commando (RIC) – and pick up new security escorts. From this point on, we were in contested territory where even our Burkinabé escorts were on high alert.
A stop at one of the forward operating bases provided a chance to link up with our security escorts and get an honest assessment of things from the Burkinabé ground commander.
After leaving Gorom-Gorom, we traveled to our northernmost and most remote stop, Markoye. At this outpost, close to the borders with both Mali and Niger, the US team and I took the opportunity to donate some much-needed metal detectors. These devices and the training the team provided to the troops at the outpost will be invaluable in the 11th RIC’s efforts to counter violent extremism, protect themselves and the local population, and prevent the smuggling of weapons and explosives through the area. We first told you about this effort
here.
The US Civil Affairs team working to provide training to 11th RIC soldiers on how to properly and securely conduct personnel searches using a Garrett hand held metal detector at the outpost in Markoye.
Soldiers from the 11th RIC demonstrate and practice the techniques they were taught for safely conducting personnel searches.
In addition to training the 11th RIC on searches, the team also took the opportunity to provide first aid training using improvised tourniquets. Techniques like this can help save lives in austere environments hours from a hospital.
Despite temperatures in excess of 115F the Burkinabé troops were eager to learn and participate in the training provided. It was incredible to watch the transfer of knowledge from our US partners to their counterparts.
My time in Burkina Faso was short but I learned a lot and left heartened by the dedication of the Burkinabés and commitment of our US Army partners. Despite materiel limitations, the host nation forces are vigilant and diligent while their US advisors work to build their skills and capacity. In this setting, the addition of a little support from SoA can translate into huge returns.
Efforts like this one are made possible by your generous donations and the ongoing support of partners like
Garrett. Thank you for all you do to enable us to fill the gaps and local needs identified by our US partners on the ground.
All the best,
Chris VJ
