According to CNN reporting monitored by The Maravi Post, Three members of the US Special Operations Forces were killed and two others were wounded in southwest Niger near the Mali-Niger border when a joint US-Nigerien patrol was attacked Wednesday, two administration officials told US the International Media giant.
The reporting continued to state that US administration officials added that the two wounded US troops had been evacuated to the capital, Niamey, and would soon be moved to Germany. They were described by the officials as being in a “stable condition.”
The US military has maintained a small clandestine presence in the northwest African country and other parts of Africa. The officials cautioned that this was still an early assessment. According to CNN, the US troops were part of a team advising and assisting local forces when they were attacked.
President Donald Trump was briefed on the attack by by chief of staff John Kelly, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Wednesday night.
Why are US soldiers in Africa?
“It’s the land of tremendous opportunity, but the land of where, if the perfect storm brews, a lot of negative things could happen,” said Maj. Gen. Joseph Harrington, commanding general of U.S. Army Africa.
More than 1.2 billion people — 41 percent of them under the age of 15 — live in Africa, Harrington said.
Economically, Africa is the fastest growing continent, and it continues to battle growing threats from Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab, a Somali-based military group with ties to al-QaIda, and the Islamic State, The Us army was quoted to have said.
Also dedicated to Africa are the headquarters for several brigade-level units that bring with them a variety of enabler capabilities. They include elements from the 101st Sustainment Brigade, the 30th Medical Brigade, the 20th Engineer Brigade, the 414th Contracting Support Brigade, the 207th Military Intelligence Brigade, the 13th Expeditionary Support Command, and the 35th Signal Brigade.
Sources: CNN, Nytimes
