Counterterrorism

SAS operator who singlehandedly stopped terrorist attack recognized

The Special Air Service (SAS) operator who responded to and stopped a terrorist attack in Nairobi, Kenya, in January will receive the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC). The CGC is Britain’s second-highest military award for valor in combat and second only to the Victoria Cross. On January 16, four terrorists associated with the al-Shabaab terrorist group […]

Hunt them down: France to lead international SOF task force in Africa

France is rallying fellow European nations to join a Special Operations task force that will be deployed in the Sahel region of Africa to combat Islamist terrorists. The task force will be named Task Force TAKUBA, which in the Tuareg language means “sabre.” It will be comprised of Special Operations units from approximately a dozen […]

US airbase in Niger is now fully operational

The U.S. airbase in Agadez, Niger, which cost $110 million, has already begun carrying out missions in the region. Its primary tasks will be reconnaissance and surveillance flights, though it could potentially be used for carrying out strikes by unmanned aerial vehicles. Completed earlier this year, Air Base 201 (as it is officially called) was […]

Turkey attacks compound of elite US-led Kurdish counterterrorism unit

A compound that houses elements of the elite Kurdish Yekineyen Anti-Terror (YAT) unit was bombed by Turkish forces in the early stages of the invasion of Northern Syria. YAT is a counterterrorism unit created and trained to hunt down Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists. U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) are training, advising, and operating with the […]

The Pic of the Day: The calm before the storm

Coalition Special Forces Operators defend a position while conducting a scenario during Exercise Eager Lion 2019 near the Sahab District, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Sept. 3, 2019. Eager Lion, U.S. Central Command’s largest and most complex exercise, is an opportunity to integrate forces in a multilateral environment, operate in realistic terrain and strengthen military-to-military relationships.

Irish Tier 1 SOF unit deploys to Mali

The Irish government decided to deploy its elite counterterrorism unit to Mali as part of the United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping effort in the region. A team of 14 operators from the Army Ranger Wing (AWG), also known as the Irish Army Rangers, will be attached to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali […]

SEAL Team 6: Naval Special Warfare’s elite

The public description of Naval Special Warfare’s Development Group for years has reflected its name. An organization whose primary purpose was to develop tactics and strategies supporting operations from the sea, air or land. This was the accepted description of DEVGRU. Naval Special Warfare Development Group was tasked with the management and testing of both […]

Forget China and Russia, terrorists are still a major threat

It is an undeniable fact that the U.S. military has been gradually shifting its focus from counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations to near-peer threats, such as China and Russia. Navy SEALs have been practicing with increased frequency in the Pacific in anticipation of a potential conflict with the former. Special Forces teams are rotating more frequently […]

Special Operations Command wants to improve SOF forensics

During the 2019 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference that took place earlier in the summer, the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) offered a rare glimpse into its Sensitive Site Exploitation (SSE) initiatives. In specific, SOCOM is developing a cell phone application that aims to simplify the SSE process. Glen Cullen, SOCOM’s SSE program manager, said […]