By Warrior Maven Global Security
A lethal terrorist ambush in Somali has again highlighted longstanding Industry, Pentagon and US State Department efforts to combat terrorism, protect forward-positioned servicemembers, support allies and enable international humanitarian efforts in the high-risk, yet strategically significant areas of East Africa.
“The biggest challenge is getting meals, uniforms and basic food and comfort items to locations amid competing tribes,” said Jerry Torres, CEO of Torres Advanced Enterprise Solutions, a private firm supporting DoD and US State Dept. security missions in the region. “If something gets to one tribe it may not get to the other tribes.”
Torres performs protective services and many logistical supply missions supporting the US, UN and allied international entities in the area.
“The core mission is to protect foreign governments, NGOs, Humanitarian organizations, US AID and missionaries that are there to help make Somalia more peaceful and free of terrorists and extremists. We want to stabilize the environment, so people can focus on the health of their families, join the world and live without the fear of death,” said Torres.
Torres explained that his firm currently provides security services to a compound in Mogadishu, providing armed guards and logistics supply to a US, NGO and UN-backed mission in the area. Torres AES guards US Embassies in Kampala and in Uganda while also conducting other security missions throughout East Africa.
“We have professionalized the security. Our plan is to protect the NGOs the legitimate governments that have a footprint. We can safety and security missions that need to be carried out,” Torres added
Having previously served as a US Army Special Forces Joint Ops Center Non-Commissioned Officer in
Charge, Torres has an extensive familiarity with the region.
“We ran a lot of missions out of Djibouti,” he said.
Torres has been part of a longstanding Security efforts in Mogadishu – which continue to intensify following the attack, which killed one US Special Operations soldier and injured four more in Somalia. The ambush is believed to have been carried out by Al Shabaab – a well-known and highly dangerous jihadist terrorist group in the region
Djibouti, the Horn of Africa, Somalia and other nearby East African territories have long been a focal point for US military operations, including a large amount of Special Operations counterterrorism missions.
Al Shabaab, known to have ties to al Qaeda in recent years, describes itself as waging jihad against “enemies of Islam,” often attacking the Somali government, African Union Mission and humanitarian efforts in the area such as United Nations and US AID initiatives.
Al-Shabaab has been designated as a terrorist organization by Australia, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. Their presence, along with risks from other violent extremist groups, aggressive tribes and jihadi organizations, has inspired a widespread US State Department and DoD effort to train local allied forces and safeguard US and international assets in the area.
— Torres Advanced Enterprise Solutions supported this story —
