The United States military is likely reduce the number of special operations commandos deployed in Africa. But military officials tell VOA that a final decision on the move has yet to be made. American military experts have mixed reactions to the planned reduction.

The New York Times first reported the plan this past week. It said the number of commandos in Africa could decrease from about 1,200 to 700 over the next three years. The proposal follows a Department of Defense investigation of an incident involving four U.S. Green Berets. The four were attacked and killed while they were on duty in Niger last October.

The investigation identified several problems, including poor training and direction by military leaders. The attack led some members of Congress to demand a smaller U.S. presence in Africa’s Sahel region. Major Sheryll Klinkel is a spokesperson for the defense department. In a statement to VOA, she said the U.S. is always studying where to deploy forces around the world and makes changes based on needs.

Klinkel added that there “has been no direction at this time” to change the size of the U.S. Africa Command. John Campbell is a former ambassador to Nigeria and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He told VOA that military officials are concerned that U.S. Special Forces are overextended in Africa.

Aliqismet BADALOV,

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