Camp Lemonnier
| Camp Lemonnier | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambouli, Djibouti City in Djibouti | |||||||
A US Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier landing at Camp Lemonnier in 2014 | |||||||
| Site information | |||||||
| Type | Department of Defense base | ||||||
| Owner | Government of Djibouti (leased to the US) | ||||||
| Operator | United States Navy | ||||||
| Controlled by | Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central | ||||||
| Condition | Operational | ||||||
| Website | Official website | ||||||
| Location | |||||||
| Coordinates | 11°32′37″N 43°08′55″E / 11.54361°N 43.14861°E | ||||||
| Site history | |||||||
| Built | 2002 | ||||||
| In use | 2002 – present | ||||||
| Garrison information | |||||||
| Current commander | Captain S.J.M. Krauss | ||||||
| Garrison | Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa | ||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||
| Identifiers | IATA: JIB, ICAO: HDAM | ||||||
| Elevation | 15 metres (49 ft) AMSL | ||||||
| |||||||
| Airfield shared with Djibouti–Ambouli International Airport | |||||||
Camp Lemonnier is a United States Naval Expeditionary Base, situated next to Djibouti–Ambouli International Airport in Djibouti City, and home to the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). It is the largest U.S. military base in Africa. The camp is operated by U.S. Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central. The regional JSOC high-value-targets task force and CJTF-HOA were the most notable tenants as of 2012.
Camp Lemonnier was originally established for the French Foreign Legion. The base was leased by Djibouti to the United States in 2002, along with the right to use the neighbouring airport and port facilities. The base supports CIA and DOD anti-terrorist operations in Yemen and Somalia (Copper Dune and Jupiter Garnet), at the centre of the network of U.S. drone and surveillance bases stretching across Africa. The latter air bases are smaller and operate from remote hangars situated within local military bases or civilian airports.
Unlike French troops, who are allowed to enter Djibouti city and interact with the locals, US troops may only leave Camp Lemonnier by special permission, and most of Djibouti City is off limits. However, in 2015 a US military investigation concluded that nineteen members of the 775th Engineer Detachment (194th Engineer Brigade, Tennessee Army National Guard), had sex with prostitutes at an off-base residence in Djibouti. Sex trafficking in, and around, Djibouti has been a persistent problem.