US General: 'Wildfire of Terrorism' on March in Africa

TAN-TAN, MOROCCO - A senior U.S. general warned Friday that the "wildfire of terrorism" is sweeping across a band of Africa and needs the world's attention. He spoke at the close of large-scale U.S.-led war games with American, African and European troops.

The African Lion war games, which lasted nearly two weeks, stretched across Morocco, a key U.S, ally, with smaller parts held in Tunisia and Senegal. The annual drills were skipped last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, head of the U.S. Africa Command, praised the work accomplished in joint operations, and painted a dark picture of threats besetting parts of Africa. "I am concerned about the security situation across a band of Africa," from the Sahel region in the west to the Horn of Africa, Townsend told reporters. He noted deadly attacks by al-Qaida- and Islamic State-linked militants and al-Shabab. "All of them are on the march," he said.