Approximately 1,600 service members from the armies of 34 African and partner nations will participate in Flintlock 2020 at multiple locations in Mauritania (Atar, Nouakchott, and Kaedi) and Senegal (Thiès), from February 17 to 28, 2020.

Flintlock is the U.S. Africa Command’s premier and largest annual Special Operations Forces exercise since 2005.

It is designed to strengthen the ability of key partner nations in the region to counter violent extremist organizations, protect their borders, and provide security for their people.

Participating African nations include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo. International partners include Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The Flintlock 2020 opening ceremony will take place on February 17^th in Atar. The closing ceremony will take place on February 28^th in Nouakchott.