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US sending 700 soldiers to Djibouti on training mission

700 US soldiers will be deployed to Djibouti later this month and into February.

The United States is deploying some 700 soldiers to a strategic location in the Horn of Africa on a security and training mission, a report says.

The soldiers from Fort Bliss' 4th Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, will be deployed to Djibouti as the brigade has recently been aligned with US Africa Command, El Paso Times reported Monday.

The soldiers will leave the US later this month and into February, except for the 50 others who were sent last week as an advance party.

The mission focuses on security in the Horn of Africa and training African partner nations like Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Burundi, battalion's commander Lt. Col. Tommy L. Cardone said.

"Our focus is on the Horn of Africa and doing what we can to assist those countries, building their militaries, improving their existing militaries and keeping the threat down to a minimum," Cardone explained.

The soldiers have no direct mission in fighting against Ebola virus or terrorist threats like Boko Haram, he added.

They will be headquartered at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti in the key strategic area of the Horn of Africa.

The brigade, nicknamed as Steel Tigers, has been training for a year for the mission and will also serve as a contingency force to protect US interests in Eastern Africa if called upon by Washington.

AN/AT


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