Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa

Operation Enduring Freedom has had related activities in the Horn of Africa.

United States counter-terrorist activities in the region have included advisers, supplies, and other forms of non-combat support, but more prominently have included drone strikes targeted at Al-Shabaab. Other American combat operations include manned airstrikes, cruise missile strikes, and special forces raids. Many such activities were initially supervised by Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa before CJTF-HOA pivoted to a defense/diplomacy/development mission; others have been undertaken by task forces from Joint Special Operations Command.

After the Fall of Kabul in November 2001, there was considerable U.S. Department of Defense concern that Islamist takfiri, jihadis, and others fleeing from Afghanistan might escape south and west to the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa. U.S. Central Command already had responsibility for Yemen. But there were concerns that takfiri militants might escape across the Arabian Sea to East Africa.

As a result, II Marine Expeditionary Force was directed to establish a task force, to be responsible for Yemen and East Africa, to operate from the former French colony of Djibouti. In due course Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) was established, with its headquarters initially based aboard the command vessel USS Mount Whitney. Its original mission was purely directed against fleeing takfiri militants from Afghanistan and/or other terrorist groups. U.S. forces became increasingly involved in the Somali Civil War. In October 2008, CJTF-HOA became part of the new United States Africa Command.