Lightning Brigade: Training Advanced Infantry - Not Airstrikes - is AFRICOM’s Primary Effort in Somalia by Kyle Rempfer - Military Times
The U.S. mission in Somalia has garnered attention as airstrikes in the country ramped up over the past few years, but it is a band of specialized local infantry being trained by American contractors and U.S. troops that Africa Command says is the primary security effort there.
Somalia’s Danab Advanced Infantry Brigade, or lightning force, is a growth point that AFRICOM is eagerly cultivating.
U.S. military forces are heavily involved in training Danab, which includes instruction on advanced warfighting techniques and how to conduct effective unit-level operations.
Danab troops are first trained by Bancroft Global Development, a private security company, before being further groomed by U.S. troops…
Danab started out as a 150-person unit roughly five years ago, but has since grown to become one of Somalia’s most-used military assets.
Ultimately, the Danab brigade will consist of 3,000 member forces across each of the six Somali National Army sectors…