Posted on 01/16/2004 11:06:11 PM PST by Pikamax
US, Kenya embark on military exercises
January 16 2004 at 11:30AM
Gearing up: United States marines pass Kenyan women in the coastal town of Lamu. The marines are carrying out a joint military exercise with the Kenyan army which is aimed at improving the east African country's range of crisis response techniques. Full story Photo: AFP
Manda Bay - United States and Kenyan troops have embarked on joint military exercises on the Indian Ocean coast aimed at improving a broad range of crisis response techniques.
The manoeuvres, code-named "Edged Mallet 4", are part of a series of annual drills which have been carried out by American and Kenyan forces since 1996.
Aside from their military activities, the troops are also involved in humanitarian work, including refurbishing dilapidated schools and the provision of medical services in areas around the resort of Lamu.
"The joint exercise is a great opportunity," Major Lance David of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) told AFP on Thursday.
'The joint exercise is a great opportunity' "We have shared tactics, techniques and procedures with the Kenyan soldiers, who are disciplined and tough. It's a great experience to train and patrol with them," he added.
The training is also designed "to enhance the preparedness" of units while working in different environments and other technical fields such as ordnance disposal, engineering and field combat operations, Major David explained.
"The exercise is a complete suceess," said Dickson Ruto, a commanding officer with the Kenyan army.
Carried out in remote bushy ranges on the sweltering Kenyan coast, the exercises involve the use of armoured vehicles, guns and helicopters.
The war games are being co-ordinated from US warship USS Germanytown in the Indian Ocean and a Kenya navy cargo ship, L38, stationed at Manda Bay.
'The exercise is a complete suceess' Residents in the ancient Lamu town told AFP that the choppers, popularly known as "frogs" because of their shape, have been hovering over the area "for some time without even telling people what they are doing."
The training site is a few kilometres from Siyu, a former Arab fort Island near Lamu where Kenyan investigators claim wanted terror suspect Fazul Abdullah Mohammed recruited and trained extremists who bombed the US embassy in Nairobi in 1998, killing 213 people, and an Israeli-owned hotel near Mombasa in 2002 that left 18 people dead.
US authorities have placed a $25-million (about R184-million) bounty on the fugitive suspect's head.
Several Lamu residents said the training was also seen in the area as a US anti-terror measure.
"These are Americans. Their motives are always suspect," said a resident who asked not to be named.
Apart from refurbishing schools in the area, the troops are also providing free medical and dental treatment to the local population.
The head of the medical team, Lieutenant Anthony Owens, said military doctors had treated more than 1 500 people around Lamu. Many of the patients had malaria or respiratory infections.
"It has given me joy in my heart the way these people responded to our humanitarian activities," said Lieutenant Owens.
"They like us and we like them. In a way, we have won their hearts and minds," he added. - AFP
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.