unched by the United States counterterrorism forces in 2005, Flintlock is an annual regional exercise that is back for a new edition. The military exercise will be held from February the 18th to March the 1st in Mauritania and Burkina Faso, announced Africom. Directed by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) and sponsored by U.S. Africa Command, Flintlock is expected to bring together more than 2,000 soldiers from 30 African and Western countries. Morocco is on the list published by the United States Africa Command, based in Germany. Algeria is also participating to the military exercise. It is not the first time that Moroccan soldiers participate to a military exercise alongside their Algerian counterparts. The two countries had indeed taken part in the «Flintlock 2014» maneuvers which took place in Niger. At the time, the Royal Armed Forces had participated as a full member, while at the time Algeria had the title of an observer country. Exercise Flintlock is designed to «foster regional cooperation to enable our African partners to stabilize regions of North and West Africa, while reducing sanctuary and support for violent extremist organizations (VEOs)», wrote Africom.
