The U.S. Navy kicked off Exercise Phoenix Express 2021 at La Goulette naval base in Tunis, Tunisia — a move that coincided with the drowning deaths or disappearances of more than 50 migrants off Tunisia’s coast Monday, the Navy Times reports.
The North African maritime exercise is designed to foster regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness, information-sharing practices, and operational capabilities. Likewise, the sea portion of the exercise is intended to challenge North African, European and U.S. maritime forces’ capability responding to irregular migration and illicit trafficking, the Navy said.
