MAY 12, 2025 – To combat evolving threats in Africa, Exercise Flintlock, a multinational special forces exercise, integrates an International Fusion Cell to foster collaboration between the military, law enforcement and intelligence partners.
“The IFC is a multinational, interagency platform designed to centralize, enrich, and analyze intelligence and operational information from partner nations,” said Tibor Szekely, Netherlands Police operational specialist. “It acts as a critical hub for synchronizing efforts against terrorism, which is a threat that transcends borders, jurisdictions, and agencies.”
The IFC’s strength lies in its ability to facilitate real-time intelligence exchange, providing a shared operational picture across agencies and nations. This collaboration enables more proactive interventions and enhances the coordination of responses to dynamic and emerging threats.
“In today’s threat environment, timely and accurate intelligence is vital,” Szekely said. “Military units, especially special operations forces, bring rapid response capabilities while law enforcement
contribute investigative authority, local knowledge, and access to different streams of intelligence.”
During Flintlock, the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force and the IFC had to work together to build tactical plans within legal frameworks and human rights standards, coordinate intelligence sharing and ensure proper handover. Additionally, both entities ensured a “legal finish,” which brings terrorists off the battlefield and into courtrooms.
“A ‘legal finish’ means successfully prosecuting terrorists in a court of law,” said Maikel Dop, Netherlands Police inspector. “The IFC ensures that intelligence is collected and shared in a way that meets international legal and evidentiary standards.”
Ultimately, this partnership represents a strategic convergence of operational capability and legal accountability.
“Flintlock reinforces that our militaries must have strong relationships with our law enforcement and interagency counterparts to enable the ‘legal finish,’ thereby achieving and sustaining operational success and protecting suspects rights,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Maurice Cheeks, Special Operations Command Africa deputy judge advocate. “Ensuring due process and a timely investigation reinforces the U.S. and partner nations’ adherence to the rule of law, and helps prosecute malign actors faster, leading to a more safe and secure region.”
Story by Staff Sgt. Zachary Wright
Special Operations Command Africa