NAIROBI, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Djibouti on Monday to discuss the future of U.S. military operations in Africa, according to news reaching here.

    Gates will hold talks with national leaders and military commanders. One of the main topics is U.S. military's new Africa Command, also known as AFRICOM.

    Gates will review the anti-terrorism operations of the 1,800 troops based in Djibouti to assess how they can fit into AFRICOM.

    AFRICOM was launched on Oct. 1 with the aim of helping African nations tackle regional terrorism and enhance development.