Army engineers deploy to Senegal as advisers

Following a request by the Senegalese government to its Spanish counterpart, the Engineers Command (MING, by its Spanish acronym) is making a contribution to the training of the Senegalese army. 31 of its soldiers will spend almost four months in the African country providing training on their different areas of specialty.

A Senegalese engineer battalion will be taught to plan and build road and airport infrastructures; manage rail transport; implement counter-IED strategies; erect military bases; restore installations; capture, purify and supply water; and install power lines.

The Spanish military engineers are organised in eight teams which will be gradually deployed to the capital of Senegal, Dakar, from September to December. Each of them will train the Senegalese soldiers in one of the specific areas mentioned above. As for the composition of the contingent, one of its members is from MING HQ (Salamanca); 12 from the 11th Engineers Regiment (Salamanca); 5 from the 1st Engineers Regiment (Burgos); and 13 from the 12th Pontonier & Engineering Specialties Regiment (Zaragoza).

The first two teams left for Senegal on 2 September. They were seen off by the head of MING, General Manuel Godoy, at the “General Arroquia” base, HQ of their unit. They will be stationed in the African country until the end of October. In the meantime, other teams will be deployed: Three more in September, one in October and the remaining two in November.