Military News, benefits, careers, photos, discussions - Military Times HOME

The Secret War

About this series

This series is the result of a six-month investigation by Army Times senior staff writer Sean D. Naylor.

Naylor reached out to dozens of current and former diplomatic and military leaders and special operators about their activities in the Horn of Africa.

It is a war few will acknowledge and even fewer will discuss.

Nevertheless, Army Times was able to piece together a mosaic that shows the level of involvement by U.S. forces in Africa and the significant resources that have been employed — with mixed success — to hunt terrorists in Africa.

Part 6

Africa ops may be just starting

There was clearly something suspicious about the two western-looking “civilians” and their interpreter who the Ethiopian security forces were questioning.

For a start, they were in Ethiopia’s bandit country — near the town of Fiq in the Ogaden region that borders Somalia. Secondly, they claimed to be working for the Red Cross, but a quick check of their persons turned up sidearms, which the Red Cross forbids its personnel from carrying. By the time the “civilians” admitted they were U.S. military personnel, the damage had been done. They were on their way to an Ethiopian jail, and an international incident was brewing.

Continue reading part 6...

Maps

More on the series