More than 1600 soldiers from 31 countries participate in the Flintlock 2020 exercise, which takes place between 17th–29th February in Mauritania and Senegal. The event is organised by the US Africa Command.

A member of Polish Special Operations observes a long-range target for a sniper with the Republic of Guinea Armed Forces during Flintlock 20 near Nouakchott, Mauritania / U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Sidney Sale

A member of Polish Special Operations observes a long-range target for a sniper with the Republic of Guinea Armed Forces during Flintlock 20 near Nouakchott, Mauritania / U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Sidney Sale

The list of participants includes special forces operators from: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Cabo Verde, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo, as well as Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.

During the Flintlock 2020 exercise Polish SF operators are tasked with training of their counterparts from Guinea in small-unit tactics. In general, participants of the exercise improve their abilities and skill in a number of aspects, such as mounted and dismounted movements, reconnaissance, close-quarters battle drills, border patrol operations, post-blast investigations, community key leader engagement, investigative interviews, intelligence sharing, and hostage rescue.

Flintlock is an annual, African-led, integrated military and law enforcement exercise that has strengthened key partner-nation forces throughout North and West Africa as well as Western Special Operations Forces since 2005.