US Military Denies Special Gear for African Partners is to Fight Boko Haram

Sputnik News

20:30 24.02.2015(updated 21:03 24.02.2015)

Media engagement chief at US Africa Command stated that communications equipment introduced at the Flintlock exercises in Chad is not intended solely to counter the Boko Haram militant group.

MOSCOW (Sputnik), Alexander Mosesov – The communications equipment introduced at the Flintlock exercises in Chad is not intended solely to counter the Boko Haram militant group, the media engagement chief at US Africa Command (USAFRICOM) told Sputnik on Tuesday.

Earlier in February, international media reported that the provision of the special equipment to African partners within the framework of the Flintlock annual regional exercise was an anti-Boko Haram measure.

'This year's Flintlock in Chad is introducing technology that allows African partners to communicate between cell phones, radios and computers. It provides a platform that enables participants to counter a communication challenge, but is not designed towards a particular threat or organization,' Benjamin Benson told Sputnik.

Benson also said that 'no country is 'receiving' communications equipment directly' as the communications equipment will only be 'evaluated' during the Flintlock exercises.

The 2015 Flintlock exercise kicked off in Chad on February 19 with 28 nations participating, including the United States.

Flintlock runs until March 9 and is aimed at developing interoperability among the Northwest African nations.

USAFRICOM is the Combatant Command of the US Armed Forces. Established in 2007, it is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany.

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