US officials patrol West African borders

Hundreds of US intelligence officials have been spotted along the Mauritanian border with Senegal, ahead of a visit by President Barack Obama. According to Mauritanian media sources, the agents conducted a widespread inspection campaign hours before the arrival of the president. Obama will travel to the Senegalese capital, Dakar at the start of a week-long tour which will take him to South Africa and Tanzania. Accompanying the president is a delegation of trade representatives, the heads of the US Export Import Bank –America’s official export credit agency, and the Overseas Private Investment Corp. His visit is seen as a bid to strengthen business relations, while pushing foreign investment. The president will also travel to neighbouring Kenya, the birthplace of his father. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta faces trial with the international Criminal Court (ICC), in November for allegations of violence during the 2007 elections –an accusation he denies. A political source told Arab Today that the US Air Force was also monitoring the area, and that US marines were seen to be patrolling regional waters.