2 Marine Raiders honored for heroism in a secret gunfight with al Qaeda militants in North Africa

US Marine Corps/Cpl. Holly Pernell

• Two members of Marine Special Operations Command received valor awards for heroism during a firefight with al Qaeda militants in North Africa, according to US Africa Command.
• During the previously unreported gunfight, which occurred last year, two Marines distinguished themselves on the battlefield.
• The two Marines carried out their tasks, as well as provided suppressive fire and immediate trauma care and evacuation assistance to wounded team members, while under enemy fire.

Two members of Marine Special Operations Command received valor awards for their heroism during a gun battle last year with al Qaeda militants in Northern Africa, a spokeswoman for U.S. Africa Command confirmed on Wednesday.

While on a three-day operation to train, advise, and assist partner forces in the unnamed country — which the command withheld due to “classification considerations, force protection, and diplomatic sensitivities” — the Marine Special Operations Team on February 28, 2017, became engaged in a “fierce fight against members of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb,” according to one of the award citations for the unnamed Marines, who are often referred to as “Raiders.”See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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