U.S. Embassy in Congo to reopen after 11 days due to threat

Dec. 4 (UPI) -- The United States Embassy in the Democratic Republic of Congo was set to reopen Tuesday after being closed for more than a week because of a terrorist threat.

The embassy said Monday it would begin operating again Tuesday.

The U.S. State Department hasn't specified the threat made toward the Kinshasa embassy, but one U.S. official told Voice of America authorities haven't determined where it came from.

"The Embassy in Kinshasa has been working closely with the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to address a terrorist threat against U.S. government facilities in Kinshasa," the official said.

The closure lasted for 11 days.

The Pentagon said last month it was cutting about 10 percent of its African counterterrorism forces that had given tactical help to local soldiers there. A year earlier, four U.S. soldiers were killed during a mission in Niger, Stars and Stripes reported at the time.

About 7,200 U.S. troops are stationed in Africa and the reduction will happen over the "next several years," the Pentagon said in a statement.

"Optimization preserves the majority of U.S. security cooperation partnerships and programs in Africa to strengthen partner networks, enhance partner capability and support ongoing programs."

"(Counter-Violent Extremist Organization) activities in several areas, including Somalia, Djibouti and Libya largely remain the same. In other regions, such as West Africa, emphasis shifts from tactical assistance to advising, assisting, liaising, and sharing intelligence," it added.