The Africa Center for Strategic Studies presents background and perspective on extremism in Africa.

Ugandan contingent of AMISOM in Baidoa, Somalia. (African Union-United Nations Information Support Team photo by Tobin Jones)

Officers from African partner nations attend specialized training in in Nairobi, Kenya before deploying to support the African Union Mission in Somalia.

Kenyan Defense Force Maj. Balata Kotea, Africa Contingency Operations Training & Assistance (ACOTA) African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Force Headquarters training course attendee, updates a map of Somalia with the latest AMISOM and Al-Shabaab troop movements at the International Peace Support Training Center in Nairobi, Kenya, Aug. 25, 2015. Kenya is one of the AU countries contributing to the forces in Somalia battling Al-Shabaab and the ACOTA course helps familiarize the attending officers with the military decision making process, so they can better advise and prepare solutions to the problems they might face in the field. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan Maysonet/released)

Nineteen officers from the Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) and Kenyan Defense Force (KDF) completed the 16th iteration of the U.S. Department of State’s Africa Contingency Operations Training & Assistance (ACOTA) Force Headquarters training course at the International Peace Support Training Center in Nairobi, Kenya, Aug. 28, 2015. The course was designed to prepare staff officers from the African Union Mission in Somalia contributing countries for possible assignment to AMISOM Force Headquarters as a part of the command staff there. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan Maysonet/released)

Kenyan Defense Force Maj. David Nzuve, Africa Contingency Operations Training & Assistance (ACOTA) African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Force Headquarters training course attendee, briefs command staff officers during a culmination exercise at the International Peace Support Training Center in Nairobi, Kenya, Aug. 26, 2015. The course was designed to prepare staff officers from AMISOM contributing countries for possible assignment to AMISOM Force Headquarters as a part of the command staff there, and as staff members the officers were asked to prepare daily briefings regarding the day’s events. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan Maysonet/released)

Joyce Craig, Africa Contingency Operations Training & Assistance (ACOTA) African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Force Headquarters training course instructor, right, works with a Uganda People’s Defense Force officer on how to plan Civil military cooperation activities at the International Peace Support Training Center in Nairobi, Kenya, Aug. 26, 2015. The course was designed to prepare staff officers from AMISOM contributing countries for possible assignment to AMISOM Force Headquarters, and part of that training included organizing civil military operations to build support and confidence among the Somali people. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan Maysonet/released)

Kenyan Defense Force Col. Shadrack Othieno, Africa Contingency Operations Training & Assistance (ACOTA) African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Force Headquarters training course attendee, briefs the media during a mock press conference at the International Peace Support Training Center in Nairobi, Kenya, Aug. 25, 2015. The course was designed to prepare staff officers from AMISOM contributing countries for possible assignment to AMISOM Force Headquarters, the public affairs training is to prepare PA teams for the significant media presence in Somalia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan Maysonet/released)

U.S. Army Capt. Daniel Brown, Africa Contingency Operations Training & Assistance (ACOTA) African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Force Headquarters training public affairs mentor, left, and Edward Wilson, ACOTA instructor, right, act as media during a mock press conference at the International Peace Support Training Center in Nairobi, Kenya, Aug. 25, 2015. The course was designed to prepare staff officers from AMISOM contributing countries for possible assignment to AMISOM Force Headquarters, and the public affairs mentors questioned AMISOM PA representatives to prepare them for the significant media presence in Somalia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan Maysonet/released)

A delegation of African Union journalists spent the week of 9-12 Feb., 2015 visiting U.S. Africa Command to learn about the command’s mission and programs. (U.S. AFRICOM photos by Brenda Law/Released)

AU journalists, Jenine Coetzer (left), responds to a comment as Charles Obbo looks on during a media delegation visit, Feb. 9, 2015, at Kelley Barracks, U.S. Army Garrison, Stuttgart, Germany. Eight journalists, who are accredited with the African Union, are here as participants of a U.S. AFRICOM-sponsored media delegation visit to learn about the command's mission and programs. (Photo by Brenda Law/U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/Released)

AU journalists engage with AFRICOM during a media delegation visit, Feb. 9, 2015, at Kelley Barracks, U.S. Army Garrison, Stuttgart, Germany. Eight journalists, who are accredited with the African Union, are here as participants of a U.S. AFRICOM-sponsored media delegation visit to learn about the command's mission and programs. (Photo by Brenda Law/U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/Released)

AU Media Delegation visit concludes with interview of AFRICOM's Deputy to the Commander for Military Operations, U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Steven Hummer

COL Mark Cheadle, AFRICOM’s Chief of Public Affairs and Communication Synchronization, engages African journalists during a media delegation visit, Feb. 9, 2015, at Kelley Barracks, U.S. Army Garrison, Stuttgart, Germany. Eight journalists, who are accredited with the African Union, are here as participants of a U.S. AFRICOM-sponsored media delegation visit to learn about the command's mission and programs. (Photo by Brenda Law/U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/Released)

AFRICOM hosts AU media delegation visit, Feb. 9-12, 2015.

AU journalists engage with AFRICOM during a media delegation visit, Feb. 9, 2015, at Kelley Barracks, U.S. Army Garrison, Stuttgart, Germany. Eight journalists, who are accredited with the African Union, are here as participants of a U.S. AFRICOM-sponsored media delegation visit to learn about the command's mission and programs. (Photo by Brenda Law/U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/Released)

AU journalists, Jenine Coetzer (left), responds to a comment as Charles Obbo looks on during a media delegation visit, Feb. 9, 2015, at Kelley Barracks, U.S. Army Garrison, Stuttgart, Germany. Eight journalists, who are accredited with the African Union, are here as participants of a U.S. AFRICOM-sponsored media delegation visit to learn about the command's mission and programs. (Photo by Brenda Law/U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/Released)

COL Mark Cheadle, AFRICOM’s Chief of Public Affairs and Communication Synchronization, engages African journalists during a media delegation visit, Feb. 9, 2015, at Kelley Barracks, U.S. Army Garrison, Stuttgart, Germany. Eight journalists, who are accredited with the African Union, are here as participants of a U.S. AFRICOM-sponsored media delegation visit to learn about the command's mission and programs. (Photo by Brenda Law/U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/Released)