West trains Africa forces as coastal nations fret attacks

By SAM MEDNICK
Associated Press

JACQUEVILLE, Ivory Coast (AP) — At a training site in Ivory Coast, a Ghanaian officer says he has watched neighboring countries be overrun by jihadis for nearly 10 years, wondering if his country will be next. The soldier is among 200 troops from four nations being trained as part of the annual U.S. military-led counterterrorism training known as Flintlock. This year, it takes place as France announces it will be pulling its troops from Mali. Extremists have made their way to the coastlines before, and there is a reported presence of al-Qaida and Islamic State group-linked cells in north Ghana. Sahel experts say some West African coastal militaries are somewhat better equipped and capable at stemming the jihadi threat, but many have never faced battle.