ShieldAfrica 2021: FRAP Special Force Unit of Côte d'Ivoire Police in live demonstration.

During the International Security and Defense Exhibition, ShieldAfrica that takes place in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire from 8 to 10 June, the FRAP, a Special Forces unit of the Côte d'Ivoire carried out a live demonstration to showcase their ability to conduct counter-terrorism operations.

The FRAP, Special Force Unit of Côte D'Ivoire Police  in live demonstration at ShieldAfrica 2021, June 8, 2021. (Picture source Army Recognition)

According to our information, the FRAP is the Special Forces unit of the Côte d'Ivoire National Police which has been primarily trained by the RAID, an elite law enforcement unit of the French National Police. RAID is a 200-strong special force founded in 1985 to counter major robberies, organized crime, and terrorism. The French RAID can be compared to SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) units in service with American Police Forces.

The FRAP (Force Recherche et d'assistance de la Police -Police Research and Assistance Force) was born in 2011 under the leadership of Mr. Hamed Bakayoko who was the Minister of the Interior and Security of Côte d'Ivoire. The first members of the FRAP were trained by police officers of the French special force of the RAID (Recherche, assistance, intervention, dissuasion - Research, Assistance, Intervention, Dissuasion).

THE FRAP is part of the Côte d'Ivoire Police and the main mission is to assure national security but this Special Force unit can also conduct VIP protection, hostage delivery and can be deployed to protect personalities during an official event. 

The Côte d'Ivoire regularly suffers attacks of terrorists, on March 29, 2021, sixty gunmen attacked two small military barracks in Kafolo and Kolobougou, both located in Ivory Coast on the border with Burkina Faso. In 2020, jihadists killed fourteen soldiers and gendarmes near Kafolo. The country is facing an increasing number of terrorist attacks which is a sign that jihadist insurgents are expanding their reach, as they have in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso.

Like other special force units in the world, the FRAP is equipped with automatic and specialized firearms, including submachine guns, assault rifles, riot shotguns, sniper rifles, riot guns, riot control agents, smoke, and stun grenades. The FRAP is also equipped with military equipment and trained to be deployed against threats of terrorism, for crowd control, and hostage-taking.