In this case, Africom avoided revealing the exact position of the Marines for "security and diplomatic" reasons. However, from the latest news, one fact arises: the country in question is Tunisia, where United States’ participation is much more entrenched than previously thought. All the evidence indicates that the battle of 2017 against Al Qaeda happened, in fact, in the Semmama Mountains, a mountain range in the Kasserine governorate, near the border with Algeria. This, since World War II, is Washington's first direct participation in Tunisia. A country that, for the past seven years, has been facing a low-level insurgency in the west of the country.
The United States in Africa
In general, the United States has been increasing its presence throughout the African continent. According to Vice magazine, US troops carry out 3,500 military operations in Africa  every year, with an average of 10 per day, which represents an increase of 1,900% compared to 10 years ago. Like those in Tunisia, they are classified as "covert operations" or "assistance.” Politico’s spokesman of the Command of Africa refuses to officially reveal the countries in which the US troops are directly involved. The former officers identify a total of eight countries: Libya and Somalia, which are the two best known, and then Kenya, Cameroon, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Tunisia.

Assistance and protection of borders
The battles involving US troops in Tunisia are part of an intense military campaign against al Qaeda in its mountain stronghold. Not surprisingly, Tunisia is the North African country that receives more aid for defence from the United States than any other, excluding Egypt. "Since the revolution of 2011 - observes Héni Nsaibia in The National Interest -, Tunisia represents great expectations as a regional model of democracy, with a view to creating a political consensus and supporting a growing economy, even if there are important challenges of security. In this context, the United States has tried to support Tunisia's unstable democratic transition, mainly by reinforcing its armed forces, which have received increasing assistance from 2014 to 2017." This alliance, Nsaibia emphasizes, "is multilevel, foresees the strengthening of border security and the formation of the army in anti-terrorist strategies and tactics."
The American presence in Tunisia.
For the United States, Tunisia is a strategic country. As stated in a report from the United States Department of State, "Tunisia now faces the following challenges:

·         strengthening the country’s nascent democratic institutions

·         facilitating constructive popular participation in the national political process

·         creating jobs, especially among college graduates   

·         countering the threat of transnational terrorism and spillover from conflicts in neighboring countries

·         managing increased demands on the national security forces

Since the revolution of 2011, "The U.S. has committed more than $1.4 billion to support Tunisia’s transition. U.S. assistance to Tunisia focuses on an array of targeted areas that include ensuring and enhancing internal and external security, promoting democratic practices and good governance, and supporting sustainable economic growth."

An unpopular alliance
However, US foreign policy is generally unpopular and the unfavorable attitude toward the United States in Tunisian society is widespread. In 2012, protesters outraged by an anti-Islamic short film sacked the US embassy and set fire to a nearby US school in the Tunisian capital. More recently, the decision of the United States to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has provoked a wave of protests throughout the country.
In addition, the question of the military presence of the United States has provoked a lot of controversy– being the subject of heated debates in the Assembly of People's Representatives, the Tunisian parliament. In 2017, this North African country has rejected a NATO proposal to set up the Atlantic Alliance staff in Tunisia in exchange for a grant of 3.7 million dollars.