By Alieu Ceesay
The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) has completed its 2025 training calendar, culminating in a major field training exercise dubbed “Exercise Storm Keneba.” The initiative underscores the military’s ongoing commitment to professionalization, enhanced operational readiness, and safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The final phase involved 128 soldiers drawn from various battalions of the Gambia National Army. This five-day intensive Field Training Exercise (FTX) simulated realistic combat scenarios in the Kiang Keneba area, focusing on countering potential insurgencies.
Major Habiballah Jeng, a key coordinator of the exercise, emphasized its strategic importance. “The FTX is designed to evaluate operational readiness in a realistic training environment, assess leadership and command effectiveness, integrate individual and collective training outcomes, and test administrative, logistical, and support capabilities,” he stated.
He added that the exercise aimed to identify operational gaps, strengthen joint coordination, improve discipline, and inform planning for the upcoming training year. “It will particularly help in refining training objectives and operational priorities for 2026,” Major Jeng noted.
The training aligns with the directives of the GAF’s Director of Training, promoting effective leadership and decision-making processes. Throughout 2025, the focus shifted toward individual soldier development, building discipline and competence through regimentation, weapon proficiency, sentry duties, communication skills, leadership training, and rigorous physical fitness programs.
Earlier in the year, from April to June, GAF personnel underwent unit-level training and specialist skill development. Activities included range-firing exercises, fieldcraft, drill and duties, various military cadre courses, and a specialized Training of Trainers (ToT) program on counter-terrorism.
Lieutenant General Mamat O. Cham, Chief of Defence Staff of the Gambia Armed Forces, addressed officers during the VIP day marking the conclusion of “Exercise Storm Keneba.” He expressed satisfaction with the outcomes despite resource constraints.
“I’m happy to know that, given what has been portrayed here and the limitations of our resources, the objectives that were set have been achieved,” Lt. Gen. Cham said. He assured troops of continued capacity building, promising more training opportunities in the future.
The CDS also highlighted the link between training and career progression. “We are coming with a promotion policy, and it will be based on training and a test—not only a theoretical test, but to ensure they can demonstrate the practice of what they learned,” he revealed. This policy is expected to play a critical role in future promotions within the forces.
The successful wrap-up of the 2025 training calendar signals a strengthened GAF, better equipped to address internal security challenges and contribute to national stability. As officers and soldiers reflect on the year’s achievements, anticipation builds for an even more robust program in 2026.
The Gambia Armed Forces continues to evolve, prioritizing professionalism in a resource-constrained environment while upholding its mandate to protect the nation’s sovereignty.
