The article doesn't say activities in Africa are new, but that they are significantly expanded. From the article: > In 2006, just 1 percent of all U.S. command

The article doesn't say activities in Africa are new, but that they are significantly expanded. From the article: > In 2006, just 1 percent of all U.S. commandos deployed overseas were in Africa. In 2010, it was 3 percent. By 2016, that number had jumped to more than 17 percent. In fact, according to data supplied by U.S. Special Operations Command, there are now more special operations personnel devoted to Africa than anywhere except the Middle East — 1,700 people spread out across 20 countries