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The United States delivered 54 tactical vehicles to the Armed Forces of Djibouti (FAD). The vehicles, known as High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles or Humvee, are to be used by the FAD's Rapid Intervention Battalion (RIB) as part of a $31 million train-and-equip partnership between the U.S. government and the Djibouti military.
The RIB is an advanced infantry battalion that is trained and equipped by the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA). The battalion's primary mission is to train and serve as a quick reaction force to accomplish specified tasks directed by its higher command in the Djibouti army.
RIB commander, Djibouti Army Maj. Mohamed Assoweh, remarked, "On behalf of Gen. Zakaria Chiek Ibrahim, chief of staff, Djiboutian Armed Forces, I would like to thank the U.S. government and CJTF-HOA for their support to this battalion and the cooperation between our two countries. The Humvees will enable us to facilitate future tasks and missions within the battalion and help us achieve our higher goals and objectives."
RIB soldiers are trained in light infantry tactics, mission planning, weapons training, first aid, land navigation, communication exercises, and additional advanced instruction by U.S. Army soldiers assigned to CJTF-HOA. The Humvees are expected to enable a faster RIB response time. U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Adrian Lopez, RIB project officer assigned to CJTF-HOA said, "The delivery of these Humvees offers the RIB a new motorized capability that they previously did not have."
