Pentagon selects commanders to steer US strategy in Middle East, Africa

The United States has nominated two senior military officers for key leadership roles overseeing operations in the Middle East and Africa, the Department of Defense announced.

Navy Vice Admiral Charles B. Cooper II has been nominated for promotion to admiral and is set to become the new commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, Caliber.Az reports, citing U.S. Department of Defense

Cooper currently serves as CENTCOM’s deputy commander and is expected to take over one of the Pentagon’s most strategically important regional commands, responsible for overseeing U.S. military operations across the Middle East and parts of South and Central Asia.

Meanwhile, Air Force Lieutenant General Dagvin R.M. Anderson has been nominated for promotion to four-star general and is set to assume command of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), based in Stuttgart, Germany.

Anderson is presently serving as director of Joint Force Development (J-7) on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon.

The nominations were announced by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

By Aghakazim Guliyev