East Africa Stepping Up in Terror Fight
East African nations are showing growing interest in teaming up to prevent terrorist groups from taking root in the region, the U.S. commander of an anti-terror task force told The Associated Press. Governments are considering a U.S.-backed security partnership to share intelligence and training to fight terrorism, said Marine Brig. Gen. Mastin Robeson, commander of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. The task force, set up in Djibouti in June 2001, is responsible for fighting terrorism in seven Horn of Africa countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Yemen, Sudan, Kenya and Somalia. The impoverished, Islamic region is a well-established recruiting ground for terrorist groups and U.S. officials describe it as a critical theater in the war on terrorism. Full Story