Senegalese soldiers graduate U.N. Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Disposal Basic course

Photo By Staff Sgt. Solomon Abanda | Col. Abdou Niane, the Senegalese Army engineering support battalion commander, welcomed and thanked the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) Explosive Ordnance Disposal training team leaders for all the support they offered to the Senegalese Army at the Centre de Formation Déminage Bataillon de Soutien du Génie in Bargny, Senegal, April 27, 2022. The U.S. Army led training strengthens partner networks and builds partner capacity to fight against threats from violent extremist organizations.  

BARGNY, SENEGAL

05.03.2022

Story by Staff Sgt. Solomon Abanda 

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

BARGNY, Senegal – Last week, leaders from U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and the 705th Ordnance Company from Fort Polk, Louisiana, attended the graduation ceremony of 18 Senegalese armed forces soldiers who attended the United Nations Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Disposal Basic Course taught by U.S. Army Soldiers at the Centre de Formation Déminage Bataillon de Soutien du Génie in Bargny, Senegal, April 27, 2022.

“The Senegalese have decided they want to be a regional partner in the fight against improvised explosive ordnance,” Master Sgt. Ryan Theobald the SETAF-AF EOD program planner. “They want to conduct U.N. missions and train soldiers within the region with the capability provided to them by the U.S Army.”

According to the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, attacks with improvised explosive devices kill thousands every year, inflict grievous physical injuries, damage critical infrastructure and spread fear and disruption across affected communities.

"This EOD training will not serve only the Senegalese, the Senegal armed forces is ready to send its soldiers where there is a need to fight IEDs and bring peace," said Senegalese Army Col. Abdou Niane, commander of the engineering support battalion.

The SETAF-AF EOD mission in Senegal is to assist the Senegalese in providing a counter-improvised explosive device disposal capability to ensure that the Senegalese armed forces can both safely counter improvised explosive devices at home and during participation in U.N. peacekeeping operations. This training helps strengthen those partner networks and build partner capacity within the Senegalese armed forces.

The basic course trains soldiers to employ basic hand tools such as hand-held detectors and hook and line kits, conduct open area IED clearance and blow-in-place of simple IEDs. This course also teaches the soldiers the difference between IEDs and unexploded ordnance and how to defeat them. Next, they will move into the intermediate and advanced courses, which include training on new equipment and new tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) in more difficult training scenarios.

"Thanks for all your support to the Senegalese armed forces," said Col. Abdou Niane. "Our soldiers are deployed to countries such as Mali and central Africa, and knowing our soldiers are trained and equipped to defeat any type IED is a great feeling.”

• Date Taken: 05.03.2022
• Date Posted: 05.05.2022 07:31
• Story ID: 419977
• Location: BARGNY, SN