Special Program for Embassy Augmentation and Response
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The Special Program for Embassy Augmentation and Response (SPEAR) is an antiterrorism and policing force in select regions around the world, designed to respond to Crises and threats to US diplomats as well as US embassies and diplomatic missions. Law enforcement personnel from host nations are chosen to be members of SPEAR and are trained by the Diplomatic Security Service's (DSS) Office of Antiterrorism and Assistance (ATA).[1] SPEAR was established in 2014 in nations where the ability to protect high risk U.S personnel and property were weak in the aftermath of the 2012 Benghazi attack. [2]
Funding
SPEAR is funded by the ATA, and as of 2019 SPEAR has received approximately 33.7 million dollars.[3]
Participating SPEAR Nations
- Burkina Faso
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Iraq
- Kenya
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Niger
- Nigeria
- South Sudan
- Tunisia
Training
So far, SPEAR has trained over 400 law enforcement officers in participating SPEAR Nations.[1] SPEAR teams work with the US embassy to conduct joint readiness exercises with embassy forces as well as the US marine security guards. SPEAR also holds annual Summit's in which participating nations will send their SPEAR team to take part in joint training and competitions. It held it's first summit in 2018
2018 Summit
The inaugural SPEAR Summit challenge was held in Nairobi, Kenya from December 10-14, 2018. SPEAR teams from Mali, Tunisia, Niger, and Kenya participated alongside a Kenyan National Police response unit as well as a team from the U.S Embassy's Regional Service Office. The training consisted of firearm proficiency, field medicine, personnel fitness, IED identification and response, and personnel recovery and evacuation.[4]
2019 Summit
The 2019 SPEAR Summit was a five day conference held in Thiéis, Senegal from December 2-6, 2019. SPEAR teams from Burkina Faso, Chad, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Tunisia, and South Sudan participated, alongside Senegalese law enforcement teams. The training and competition covered field medicine, firing and range familiarization, IED identification and response, teamwork obstacle courses, and evacuating personnel. At the end of the conference, team Tunisia was declared the winner of the 2019 SPEAR Summit Challenge.[5]
SPEAR Deployments
Kenya
On January 19th, 2019, a SPEAR team was deployed in response to the Dusit2 complex attack in Nairobi. In the process of clearing the complex and rescuing civilians, the SPEAR team fought and killed two out of the five terrorists directing the attack. Two SPEAR members were seriously injured from a grenade explosion, but a third member was able to administer first aid to the wounded and they were later evacuated from the site. The terrorist attack conducted by Al-Shabaab killed 21 civilians with security services escorting more than 700 people out of the complex.[6]
References
- ^ a b "Special Program for Embassy Augmentation Response (SPEAR)". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
- ^ Spero, Domani (2021-05-17). "Snapshot: Special Program for Embassy Augmentation and Response (SPEAR)". Diplopundit. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
- ^ "Antiterrorism Assistance (ATA) Program: Special Program for Embassy Augmentation Response (SPEAR)". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
- ^ "Department of State Participates in Quick Response Force (QRF) Summit Challenge 2018". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
- ^ jimenezla (2020-02-01). "2019 SPEAR Summit Challenge". State Magazine. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
- ^ "DSS-trained police help neutralize terrorists, rescue scores of civilians in Nairobi hotel attack". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2021-05-24.