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United States Expands Military Operations in North Africa and Classifies al-Shabaab as a Force “Associated” with Al Qaeda

In late 2016, the United States took two steps to facilitate its confrontation with violent extremist groups in North Africa. In December, the United States classified al-Shabaab as a force “associated” with Al Qaeda for purposes of the 2001 Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF). And at some unspecified point earlier that year, it appears (but has not been officially confirmed) that the United States and Tunisia reached a memorandum of understanding under which U.S. forces are permitted to launch reconnaissance missions aimed at extremists in Libya from an air base in Tunisia.