US Soldiers; 4 Killed, 2 Wounded In Niger Ambush

An attack on a small contingent of American and Nigerien troops left 3 US and 4 Nigerien soldiers dead. Another two American military personnel were severely wounded in the same attack. The unnamed surviving  soldiers has been airlifted to Landstuhul Regional Medical Centre, a US military medical facility in Germany.

The US African Command released the names of three of the deceased soldiers on Friday. They include Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson, 39, of Springboro, Ohio., Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright, 29, of Lyons,Georgia., Staff Sgt. Bryan Black, 35, of Puyallup, Washington and Sgt. La David Johnson, 25, of Miami Gardens, Florida. Sgt. La David Johnson was declared missing in action. His body was found by Nigerien troops on Wednesday, same day of the attack.

Map Of Niger

The attack was launched by Islamist militants at Tillaberi region about 125 miles of Niamey, the capital of Niger, US Africa Command announced in a statement. The unit is embedded into troops from the African nation to provide “advice and security assistance” to the sub Saharan country’s effort to combat Islamic militants.



The US Command also confirmed the nature of operations in Niger as been of majorly supporting role, providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to assist the Nigerien government to combat counter-terrorism. According to the release the small group was on a “joint patrol” with local security operatives when they were attacked.

Washington confirmed on Friday that President Trump spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron on the developments in Niger. French forces with sustained presence in the region had quickly deployed fighter jets and helicopters to disperse the attackers who thronged the unit with pick up trucks in an ambush and search for Johnson who was then missing.

Sarah Huchabee Sanders

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders while responding to a reporter if US has plans to avenge the fallen soldiers replied “Obviously, any time one of the members of our great military are injured, wounded or killed in action, that is something we take very seriously. She reiterated “We’re continuing to review and look into this”


The Trump administration also confirmed the prescience of 645 US soldiers combating counter terrorism in Niger earlier this year. Pentagon sources claim that troop mobilization in Niger currently stands at 800 with the infusion of more troops to beef up the contingent drawn from 3rd Special Forces Group, quartered at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

Niger has become the melting pot of various groups fighting different courses. The sub Saharan country is bordered by Algeria, Libya and Chad in the North and Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Mali in the south.

This incident comes to bear on activities of the Trump US administration in Africa. It also sheds light on Niger that is ravaged by Chadian rebels, Libyan fighters, Al-Qaeda and its affiliates Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb(AQIM) operating in Mali, in the north. Down its southern borders, another Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram has been fighting for territory in northern Nigeria .

Our Tags: Niger, US Africa Command, Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda, US Army, Dead Soldiers, Sarah Huckabee Sanders