he military has reopened a base for the unmanned aircraft on the island nation of Seychelles to intensify attacks on al Qaeda affiliates, particularly in Somalia, defense officials told The Wall Street Journal.
The U.S. has used the Seychelles base for flying surveillance drones, and for the first time will fly armed MQ-9 Reapers from the Indian Ocean site, supplementing strikes from a U.S. drone base in Djibouti.
The MQ-9 Reaper drone
The move comes as Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and other officials have stressed a need to urgently follow up on the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in May with operations to destroy his terrorist organization.
U.S. officials say they are concerned that al Qaeda—under pressure from U.S. operations in Pakistan—is moving to expand operations through its affiliates in East Africa, and that a new charismatic militant leader could emerge there.
Stepped-up surveillance on the militant groups is needed to help keep al Qaeda affiliates in check, officials said.
"We do not know enough about the leaders of the al Qaeda affiliates in Africa," said a senior U.S. official. "Is there a guy out there saying, 'I am the future of al Qaeda'? Who is the next Osama bin Laden?"
The U.S. military has long operated a base in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa, and has already used drones against militants in Somalia.
The new Seychelles base, with the Reaper deployment, will allow for more flights and improved operational security, giving the military a better chance at uncovering and destroying al Qaeda training camps in East Africa, officials said. Militants can sometimes spot and track drones that fly over land from the base at Camp Lemonier in Djibouti—something that will be more difficult at an island base. Read more
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