African Lion 26 participants strengthen regional security, conduct closing ceremonies in Tunisia

BIZERTE, Tunisia - Military leaders and diplomatic officials gathered to conclude the Tunisia-hosted portion of African Lion 2026, the 22nd iteration of U.S. Africa Command's premier multinational exercise, April 29.

The closing ceremony followed weeks of high-intensity training across Tunisia involving over 500 personnel from the U.S., African and allied nations. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), the exercise focused on a broad spectrum of modern warfare, from large-scale combat operations to crisis response and humanitarian assistance.

"As a collective from over 40 nations, this year's African Lion demonstrates the continued growth and relevance of this premier exercise," said U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John Brennan, deputy commanding general of U.S. Africa Command. "The sheer scale of this combined, joint and interagency exercise demonstrates the depth of unity and diversity of capabilities that the coalition of the willing we're a part of can be brought to bear against common threats."

A hallmark of this year's exercise was the integration of innovation on the battlefield. In the skies over Tunisia, the 124th Air Support Operations Squadron led air-ground Integration training, which brought Tunisian joint terminal attack controllers together with multinational intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets.

On the ground, a U.S. Marine Corps ground sensor platoon partnered with Tunisian Special Forces. Together, they conducted infiltration and observation missions in key areas of interest using advanced sensor technology to provide real-time intelligence to allied forces.

AL26 covered multiple domains of modern conflict:

- Special operations: In a display of multinational synergy, Italian, French and Tunisian special operations forces executed military free fall and direct-action missions. At sea, Italian and Tunisian maritime teams refined combat diving skills, as well as visit, board, search and seizure tactics.

- Cyber defense: For the first time, the U.S. Army Reserve Cyber Protection Brigade conducted cyber security academics with the Tunisian army, signaling an expansion of the exercise into the digital frontier.

- Intelligence and explosive ordnance disposal: Military intelligence teams refined advanced analytic skills, while EOD experts trained to neutralize unmanned aerial systems and chemical hazards.

Beyond tactical proficiency, African Lion 2026 served as a strategic tool for deterrence and regional stability. This year's exercise occurred as Tunisia is facing border security challenges stemming from its role as a major transit point for irregular migration - a situation that has sparked social tensions and security concerns in coastal regions.

The United States has approved a $95 million foreign military sale to Tunisia to enhance border security capabilities in response to this situation. The package includes surveillance systems, command-and-control tools and training support. This effort aims to strengthen Tunisia's ability to monitor borders, counter smuggling and address regional instability. The deal reinforces Tunisia's role as a key strategic partner and supports broader security objectives in North Africa.

By improving multinational interoperability and combined mission command nodes, the U.S. and its partners aim to counter competitor influence and enhance African nations' capacity to lead their own security initiatives.

"African Lion 26 provides an outstanding opportunity to enhance our lethality and build readiness across all warfighting functions and domains," Brennan said. "The exercise underscores our collective commitment to preserving peace through strength through our commitment to executing the most realistic, demanding and high-intensity training possible - training that directly prepares us to confront complex and formidable threats."

As flags lowered in Bizerte, the consensus among participants was clear: The bonds forged during AL26 have created a more secure and responsive combined force, ready to support global operations and regional peace.

About African Lion

African Lion 2026 is U.S. Africa Command's largest annual joint exercise, designed to strengthen collective security capabilities of the U.S., African nations and global allies. Co-led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) from April 20 to May 8, 2026, and hosted in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia, AL26 involves over 5,600 personnel from more than 40 nations, using innovation to drive partner-led regional security.

African Lion content can be found on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS).

About SETAF-AF

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.

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