MIAMI, Fla. – U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced the establishment of a new Joint Task Force (JTF) under II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) today to synchronize and augment counter-narcotics efforts across the Western Hemisphere.
The JTF will integrate the expeditionary capabilities of II MEF with Joint Force and U.S. interagency partners, represented by the Homeland Security Task Force. “Transnational criminal organizations threaten the security, prosperity, and health of our hemisphere,” said Adm. Alvin Holsey, Commander, SOUTHCOM. “By forming a JTF around II MEF headquarters, we enhance our ability to detect, disrupt, and dismantle illicit trafficking networks faster and at greater depth – together with our U.S. and partner-nation counterparts.”
Read more…
Source: U.S. Sothern Command
Sign up for the Counter-IED Report Newsletters
The latest news and insights delivered right to your inbox
Related:
- Arizona: 10 IEDs found at US-Mexico border in cartel gunfight
December 15, 2023
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is warning agents to be on the lookout for explosive devices. A federal law-enforcement source shared with FOX Business Network an internal officer safety alert dated December 13th that warns CBP agents to be vigilant after the Mexican military seized 10 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at the border. The IEDs were found ...
- B-Roll Sandhills Project: 20th Engineer Brigade and industry partners test autonomous breaching capabilities
December 14, 2023
The Sandhills Project is an experiment to deliver robotic, autonomized breaching solutions to large-scale combat operations, Fort Liberty, N.C., Dec. 14, 2023. Current conflicts indicate that US forces may encounter extensive obstacle efforts several kilometers in depth on future battlefields. Future breaching requires greater speed and flexibility to rapidly maneuver through obstacles, leveraging lower cost equipment, ...
- U.S. Army EOD techs leverage expertise at Johns Hopkins University cluster munitions forum
December 12, 2023
WASHINGTON – U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians participated in a forum conducted by one of the nation’s premier engineering schools to learn better ways to confront and defeat cluster munitions during large-scale combat operations. Army EOD technicians attended the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering Cluster Munitions Forum in Washington, D.C. The forum addressed ...
- The U.S. has cut its troop presence in Niger by almost half
December 12, 2023
The U.S. has decreased its troop presence in Niger by almost half according to figures in a White House letter sent to Congress last week. The number of U.S. troops deployed to Niger appears to be 648, according to the White House letter, down by at least 400 since September, when military forces in Niger took ...
- USSOCOM Experiment Yields Valuable User Feedback for CBRN Defense Developers
December 10, 2023
Delivering lifesaving capabilities into the hands of warfighters who need them is a mission that the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) doesn’t take lightly. Rapid access to cutting edge CBRN defense equipment is critical to the readiness and safety of the joint force, particularly for those who are at ...
- Hawaii: TSA discovers anti-aircraft ammunition in checked bag at Honolulu airport
December 9, 2023
TSA agents at the Honolulu airport had to evacuate a checked baggage room Friday morning after an “anti-aircraft round of ammunition” was found in a luggage. It happened around 5:30 a.m. when TSA’s security screening x-ray technology flagged a checked bag for a potential security threat. TSA officers and an agency explosive specialist reviewed the x-ray ...
- Nevada: Teenager who threatened ‘lone wolf’ terror attack is found with explosives
December 5, 2023
A teenager who allegedly threatened to carry out “lone wolf” terrorist operations in Las Vegas has been arrested after bomb-making materials and Isis propaganda were reportedly found at his residence. The 16-year-old male apparently proclaimed his allegiance to the Islamic State on social media and pledged to carry out terror activities “against the enemies of Allah”. ...
- Iraq: Rocket launcher disguised as fuel truck seen firing 122mm artillery rockets
December 5, 2023
Earlier this week, Iranian-backed militants in Iraq fired 122mm artillery rockets at U.S.-led coalition forces in neighboring Syria using an improvised array of launchers disguised inside a modified tanker truck. “At approximately 2:15 p.m. on Dec. 3, 15 122mm rockets originating in Iraq were fired at the U.S. base Rumalyn Landing Zone in Syria,” according to ...
- Pennsylvania: Man arrested after apparent explosive devices, counterfeit machine found inside Philadelphia home
December 4, 2023
A 35-year-old man is in custody after an incident that involved the bomb squad, hazmat unit, police K-9s and an investigation that stretched from Sunday afternoon into the overnight hours in Philadelphia’s Mayfair section. Police responded to the 4200 block of Cottman Avenue around 1:20 p.m. Sunday after receiving a 911 call reporting the sound of ...
- Ex-Colombian officer charged with conspiring to kill U.S. Army soldiers at military base
December 4, 2023
A former Colombian military officer was charged Friday with conspiring with others to plant a bomb in a vehicle to murder members of the U.S. Army who were working with Colombian soldiers in the South American country. Three U.S. Army soldiers were injured in the bombing attack more than two years ago, U.S. authorities said. Andres ...
- Iowa: Explosives used in ATM burglary, something Des Moines Police “hadn’t seen before”
November 30, 2023
A top target for thieves has led to a pair of arrests in Des Moines. Two suspects are charged in an extensive burglary spree, using explosives to carry out some of the crimes. After a months long investigation, police arrested 35-year-old Maurice Daye and 31-year-old Denzil Brown on several felony counts each related to multiple ATM ...
- U.S. Philanthropist Howard G. Buffett Makes ‘Moonshot’ Investment of $33M to Clear Landmines in Ukraine
November 29, 2023
Global humanitarian landmine clearance NGO, The HALO Trust, today announced a $33 million strategic partnership with the Howard G. Buffett Foundation to tackle humanitarian demining in Ukraine. The Foundation’s investment is the single largest philanthropic donation in support of humanitarian landmine clearance in Ukraine. This historic investment by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation will allow The ...
- TSA Seeks to Purchase Explosive Detection Systems
November 29, 2023
The Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration plans to issue an indefinite-delivery contract for the procurement and installation of Type 1 and Type 2 explosive detection systems. TSA expects to release a solicitation by March 4 and award the contract by the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024, according to a notice published Tuesday on ...
- EOD suspicious package exercise
November 28, 2023
UNDISCLOSED LOCATION — U.S. Air Force explosive ordnance disposal Airmen participate in a suspicious package exercise at an undisclosed location in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Nov. 2, 2023. The U.S. maintains a highly agile fighting force, which leverages the most advanced training and platforms to dominate the warfighting landscape for the long-term security ...
- Paws-itively Cute: TSA releases its 2024 canine calendar
November 27, 2023
WASHINGTON – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today released the 2024 TSA Canine Calendar, an annual tradition that honors the agency’s more than 1,000 explosives detection canines working across the United States. The 2024 TSA Canine Calendar is now available for immediate download. TSA uses canines as part of its multilayered security operations nationwide and also ...