US Quietly Assumes Military Posture in Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya — The United States is using special forces advisers, drones, and tens of millions of dollars in military aid in Africa to combat a growing and multifaceted security threat, while playing a less obtrusive role and focusing once again on Somalia.

The United States is also providing intelligence and training to fight militants across the continent, from Mauritania in the west along the Atlantic Ocean, to Somalia in the east along the Indian Ocean.

The Pentagon is paying a lot more attention to Africa than in years past, analysts say.

"I think the security threats emanating from Africa are being taken more seriously than they have been before, and they're more real," said Jennifer Cooke, the director of the Africa program at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.