US Security Force Assistance Brigade Trains GAF Amidst Terrorism Threats

The Security Force Assistance Brigade, a specialized United States Army unit formed to conduct security force assistance (SFA) mission, is in the country to train members of the Ghana Armed Forces (GFA) amidst threats of terrorism in the sub-region.

In a post on the official social media account of the US Embassy in Ghana, members of GAF were trained in spotting and eliminating dangerous explosives.

It added that both the US and Ghana were working closely to maintain the peace and security currently being enjoyed in the country.

“Members of the Security Force Assistance Brigade are in Ghana training and sharing best practices with Ghana Armed Forces colleagues. U.S. soldiers recently shared tactics and procedures for countering improvised explosive devices, including spotting and eliminating the threat of hazardous explosives.

“The U.S. and Ghana are working together to ensure peace and security in Ghana, and building capacity to respond to threats in the region, because we’re #StrongerTogether #USinGhana,” the post stated.

The West Africa Center for Counter Extremism (WACCE) recently in a statement titled “The Threat of Violent Extremism to the Coastal States, Ghana’s Exposure to Violent Extremism” noted that Ghana is now prone to terrorist attacks.

It cited Ghana’s proximity to some countries battling terrorist insurgencies such as Burkina Faso Benin, Togo, and Ivory Coast as contributing to the country’s risk.

WACCE again pointed out that the unresolved Bawku chieftaincy conflict, the ethnic tensions in Northern Ghana, and the unresolved challenge of Western Togoland separatists were all internal risk amplifiers.

“Even though the fatality numbers are presently down from the over 7,200 in the region in 2014, the threat has increased in complexity and geographical spread.

“Today, 53% of ECOWAS have now been circled by the threat. These are dangerous developments for Ghana. Ghana’s proximity to these countries (Burkina Faso to the North, Benin and Togo to the East and Ivory Coast to West) exposes the country to extremist recruitment or attacks or both,” part of the statement read.