Top US General Offers Answers on Deadly Green Beret Ambush in Niger

Tensions are rising in response to the lack of information regarding four US soldiers killed in Niger earlier this month. 

At the Pentagon, Joint Chiefs Chairman Joseph Dunford outlined the timeline of events but told reporters this briefing was only based on what they know now and the investigation is sure to present more details. 

“After speaking to Secretary Mattis this morning I decided to address you because there’s been a lot of speculation about the operations in Niger and the perception DOD has not been forthcoming and I thought it’d be helpful to personal clarify to you what we know today and to outline what we hope to find out in the ongoing investigation," Dunford said.

Why Are US Forces in Niger?

US troops are not in West Africa to combat local adversaries, but rather to assist in training local forces to defend their communities from terrorism. 

“Our soldiers are operating in Niger to build a capacity of local forces to defeat violent extremism in West Africa," he said.

General Dunford later elaborated that the Defense Department’s agreement with the coalition forces was that they would only patrol in areas “where enemy contact was not likely.”

The chairman described the cooperative maneuvers as a “global strategy” in defeating ISIS by training allies in combat operations across the globe.

“As we’ve seen many times, groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda pose a threat to the United States, the American people, and our allies. They’re a global threat enabled by the flow of foreign fighters, resources, and their narrative. They seek to operate where they can exploit weaknesses in local government and local security forces," Dunford told reporters.

What happened on October 4^th?

“Our assessment by the leaders on the ground at that time was that contact with the enemy was unlikely," Dunford said.

On the 3^rd of October, twelve members of US Special Forces accompanied 30 Nigerian forces on a civil military reconnaissance mission from the capital city of Niamey to an area near the village of Tongo Tongo.

On the 4^th of October, US and Nigerian forces began moving south. While en route to their operating base, the patrol came under attack from approximately 50 enemies using small arms fire, rocket propelled grenades, and technical vehicles. 

Timeline after Attack 

• Approximately one hour after the attack, the team requested support.
• Within minutes a drone aircraft appeared overhead. 
• Within an hour, French Mirage aircraft arrived on station.
• Later that afternoon, French attack helicopters arrived on station near the same time a Nigerian quick-reaction team arrived.  
• During the attack, two US troops were medevac’d.
• By the evening on Oct. 4, three US troops were killed and Sgt. La David Johnson was missing.
• Johnson’s body was found and evacuated two days after the attack.

“From the time the firefight was initiated until Sgt Johnson’s body was found, French, Nigerian, and US Forces remained in the area.”

As for why Sgt Johnson was separated from his team, the Chairman deferred the answer to the ongoing investigation.

General Dunford was clear to reporters that the priorities were to inform the families first, and then the public, and that while time is important, accuracy was imperative.