DJIBOUTI: THE USA DEPLOYS 1300 PERSONNEL BASED AT CAMP LEMONIER AS PART OF THE ANTI TERRORIST OPERATION IN THE REGION.

Record ID: 347622

  • Title: DJIBOUTI: THE USA DEPLOYS 1300 PERSONNEL BASED AT CAMP LEMONIER AS PART OF THE ANTI TERRORIST OPERATION IN THE REGION.
  • Date: 20th December 2002
  • Summary: (W4) CAMP LEMONIER, DJIBOUTI (DECEMBER 20, 2002) (REUTERS -- ACCESS ALL) 1. WS: WITH SIGN READING "CAMP LEMONIER, DJIBOUTI" 0.02 2. WS: MILITARY VEHICLE (HUMVEE) DRIVING OUT OF COMPOUND. 0.07 3. SCU: AMERICAN FLAG AND DJIBOUTI FLAG. 0.11 4. SLV: MARINES WAITING. 0.13 5. SLV; MARINES WALKING PAST WITH CAMP IN THE BACKGROUND.
  • Embargoed: 4th January 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CAMP LEMONIER, DJIBOUTI
  • Country: Djibouti
  • Reuters ID: LVA8W98PFDB01P7M64FYND6AJL9E
  • Story Text: The United States has deployed 1,300 personnel to the
    tiny horn of Africa's nation of Djibouti, as part of an
    anti-terrorist operation in the region. They are operating
    under the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA)
    -- a coalition force in the global war against terrorism.



    As the global was against terrorism becomes a priority
    for America and various coalition states, the United States
    has gone ahead and deployed troops at Camp Lemonier in
    Djibouti and off the coast of Djibouti in the Red Sea. Their
    area of operation is the Horn of Africa, which includes seven
    countries -- Djibouti, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan,
    Kenya and Yemen.

    Of the troops, 900 of them are based at Camp Lemonier on
    the Djiboutian coast, while 400 other troops are embarked
    aboard the USS Mount Whitney which will be the floating
    headquarters for the Combined Joint Task Force staff.

    Their mission, which is expected to oversee various
    operations in support of the global war on terrorism, has been
    defined in four D's -- Detect, Disrupt, Defeat and Deny --
    with an objective of stamping out terrorism or terrorist
    activities in and around the Horn of Africa region.

    Alexander Gatturno, a First Class Airman from Miami,
    Florida said:
    "We are just trying to blow up as many terrorists as we
    possibly can."
    He has been at Camp Lemonier for the last two months.

    In an interview highlighting various risks that Djibouti
    could face in playing host to various troops from different
    countries within the coalition against terrorism,
    Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh said risk is part of
    the business.

    "We must take this risk, if we want to be part of this
    coalition, because we have condemned the terrorism -- all
    forms of terrorism -- coming from Al Qaeda, or coming from
    other extremist groups," Guellah said.

    He added that his country would not be pessimistic, even
    though they had become vulnerable, since taking a stand
    against terrorism and since they accepted to host various
    troops.

    There are more than 90 coalition nations participating in
    the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa -- with each team
    hoping to make the other stronger and more capable in the
    fight against terrorism.


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