Operation Sharp Edge

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Operation Sharp Edge was carried out by the United States Marine Corps 22nd and 26th Marine Expeditionary Units in mid-1990 amid increasing internal unrest which threatened U.S. diplomats and civilians in Liberia. Elements from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked in the USS Saipan (LHA-2) amphibious ready group to provide support to the U.S. Embassy and stood by to evacuate American citizens and others from 2 June to 5 August. Elements from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked in the USS "Inchon" (LPH-12) amphibous ready group to relieve the 22nd MEU and continue to assist the US Embassy for evacuating American citizens and foreign refugees from 5 August to 9 September, when the 26th MEU was relieved by a unit from the Fleet Antiterrorism Security Teams of the Marine Corps. They evacuated a total of 2,609 people between 5 August and 9 January 1991.

Operation Shining Express, a similar mission to evacuation civilians, was carried out during the 2003 Liberian civil war.

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