Recent photographs have revealed that the Armed Forces of Senegal have acquired large amounts of 5.56x45mm NATO Tavor X95 rifles. Specifically, it appears that two distinct Senegalese forces are using the rifle at present. The first being a special operations component of the armed forces. This was first shown about a year or two ago while troops were on parade in the capital of Dakar. At TFB we’ve taken a number of screenshots from the parade (separate from previous Youtube link, viewed here). The Tavors seen on parade are actually older Tavor CTAR Flattop rifles with 380mm barrels that are in either black or tan finishes with mounted MEPRO MOR reflex sights.

Of particular note here is the fact that there a number of IWI small arms other than the X95 and CTAR. Of note are  Jericho PL or RPL polymer framed handguns. From the photo, we cannot discern if they are the PL model with the frame mounted safety or the RPL with the slide mounted safety.

Also, in particular, are 7.62x51mm NATO Galil Sniper S.A. precision rifles mounted with powered optics. Note that the optics don’t come factory standard but are offered as an option by IWI. Behind the Galil rifles are Tavor SARs in a tan finish. This might indicate an earlier order separate from the X95s.

The second location where these Tavor X95s are with the Senegalese contingent of the United Nations peacekeeping force in the Central African Republic. The force is known as the United Nation Mission to Central African Republic (abbreviated as MINUSCA) and has been conducting peacekeeping operations there for some years. This force appears to be composed of line companies of Senegalese infantry troops that have traded their M16A2 rifles in for Tavor CTARs and X95s for the duration of operations in the CAR. Multiple images posted on Getty Images that show these CTARs in action as far back as 2015, in addition to this image posted on an African media outlet–

Apart from the peacekeeping mission in CAR, Senegalese soldiers are also involved in operations in Mali, falling under the UN MINUSMA mission. This photograph shows a Senegalese soldier armed with a Tavor X95 with an under barrel mounted 40x46mm GLS underneath.