Rabat – Special forces teams from the US military’s African Command (AFRICOM) collaborated with special forces members of Morocco’s Gendarmerie, Army, and Navy during the Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) in Tangier on Monday.
The JCET follows AFRICOM’s largest joint readiness exercise, African Lion, which took place in June 2021.
“Our US and Moroccan special operations teams put together an exceptional training plan that executed operations in the air, on the ground, and at sea,” said U.S. Army Colonel, Brian Hughes, U.S. Special Operations Command Africa deputy commander.
Images of the JCET depict US and Moroccan forces participating in live-fire shooting range exercises and rappelling on a fast rope out of a US CH-47 Chinook helicopter.
According to a statement by US AFRICOM following the event, the militaries trained on “marksmanship, small unit tactics, helicopter and maritime infiltration techniques, maritime interdiction operations, combat casualty care, and mission planning and execution.”
Photo: DVIDS “The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.”
The JCET focused on a wide assortment of weapon systems and primarily revolved around pistols and rifles for live-fire drills.
By operating in Morocco’s northern Tangier-Tetouan region, the special forces operatives were also able to utilize the nearby coast for sea-based exercises.
US Consul General to Morocco Lawrence Randolph commented on the JCET stating, “The JCET is yet another excellent example of the close and enduring security partnership between the United States and Morocco.”
The US diplomat added that the US and Morocco are celebrating 200 years of diplomatic relations. Both countries have sought to bolster militaristic relations as both the US and Morocco have a shared interest in curbing terrorism and promoting peace in the region.
In a concluding statement, US AFRICOM noted that Morocco will be a “key contributor” to Senegal-based Flintlock 2022. The exercise will focus on the “G5 Sahel Force and their interoperability with U.S. and NATO special operations forces to counter malign influence, aggression, and activity.”
