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U.S. Army Southern European Task
Senegalese Army Sgt. Mouhamed Mbengue explains a counter-improvised explosive device training aid he created to help train his classmates to identify hard-to-find improvised explosive devices 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. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Solomon Abanda)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Solomon Abanda
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U.S. Army Southern European Task
U.S. Army explosive ordnance disposal instructors from the 705th Ordnance Company out of Fort Polk, La., join the 18 Senegalese armed forces soldiers who graduated from the three-month counter-improvised explosive device disposal course at the Centre de Formation Déminage Bataillon de Soutien du Génie in Bargny, Senegal, April 27, 2022. The Army-led training strengthens partner networks and builds partner capacity to fight against threats from violent extremist organizations. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Solomon Abanda)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Solomon Abanda
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U.S. Army Southern European Task
U.S. Army Sgt. Jacob W. Floyd, explosive ordnance disposal technician with the 705th Ordnance Company from Fort Polk, La., instructs Staff Sgt. Kemo Sambou, a Senegalese army engineering platoon sergeant, on how to search for potential improvised explosive devices during a counter-improvised explosive device disposal training at 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. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Solomon Abanda)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Solomon Abanda
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U.S. Army Southern European Task
U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Tommy R. Oakley Sr. with the 705th Ordnance Company out of Fort Polk, La., instructs Senegalese Armed Forces soldiers during the three-month counter-improvised explosive device disposal course 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. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Solomon Abanda)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Solomon Abanda
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U.S. Army Southern European Task
Senegalese Army Staff Sgt. Kemo Sambou, an engineering platoon sergeant, prepares to disarm an improvised explosive device during the counter-improvised explosive device disposal training course taught at the 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. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Solomon Abanda)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Solomon Abanda
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U.S. Army Southern European Task
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.
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Solomon Abanda
BARGNY, Senegal – Last month, leaders from U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and the 705th Ordnance Company out of 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.”
