MONROVIA, Liberia -- A U.S. military contingent led by Marines are assisting the Armed Forces of Liberia to handle humanitarian and security crises.
Since 2009, U.S. Marines, leading a joint force from U.S. Africa Command, have partnered with the AFL and other West African forces as part of Operation Onward Liberty.
"The AFL has steadily grown in both capability and professionalism over the past five years," said U.S. Marine Col. David S. Bunn, Officer-In-Charge of Operation Onward Liberty. "The AFL is a force for good in both Liberia and West Africa."
With its current capabilities, the AFL is well positioned to fight Ebola alongside the government of Liberia and the international community.
While the AFL provides security forces, they are also building Ebola Treatment Units. Engineers from the Liberian force will build these sites near hospitals facilitating responsive treatment to those infected and safeguarding others from exposure.
Functioning as enablers, the AFL and their U.S. military partners were instrumental in providing international organizations with the support and cross-organizational coordination needed to respond to the Ebola threat. The AFL is part of the Liberian government's efforts to keep its people safe from exposure and to the coalition of governments and international agencies striving to defeat this virus.
According to the World Health Organization, the number of deaths from this deadly virus in Liberia is over 1,500 and infections could rise beyond 20,000 people globally. With a 50-70% fatality rate, Ebola is a global threat.
The current epidemic began in Guinea last December, spreading to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Senegal. It is the largest outbreak since the discovery of the virus in 1976 with more cases than all previous outbreaks combined.