Protection force finds more than one failures ended in deadly Niger ambush

WASHINGTON (AP) — Multiple failures led up to the deadly Niger attack closing October, nevertheless top militia leaders acknowledged Thursday that none without delay brought on the overwhelming enemy ambush that killed four American provider participants and despatched others struggling with and working for their lives.

« The teach motive at the support of the enemy attack in Tongo Tongo is that the enemy completed tactical surprise there and our forces dangle been outnumbered roughly three-to-one, » Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier Jr. urged reporters throughout a Pentagon press conference.

He described a brutal, chaotic firefight, as Forty six U.S. and Nigerien forces battled more than a hundred enemy opponents. Amid the chaos, he acknowledged, there dangle been repeated acts of bravery because the outnumbered and outgunned soldiers made split-second choices below heavy fire, struggling to guard and rescue every other throughout the more than hourlong assault.

Killed in the attack dangle been: Military Sgt. La David T. Johnson, 25, of Miami Gardens, Florida; Workers Sgt. Bryan C. Dark, 35, of Puyallup, Washington; Workers Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson, 39, of Springboro, Ohio; and Workers Sgt. Dustin M. Wright, 29, of Lyons, Georgia. Four Nigerien troops dangle been also killed, and two American soldiers and eight Nigerien forces dangle been wounded.

The American citizens who dangle been killed « gave their closing tubby measure of devotion to our country and died with honor while actively enticing the enemy, » the document acknowledged. None dangle been captured alive by the enemy, and all died straight away or rapid from their wounds, it acknowledged.

After months of silence throughout the investigation, Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, head of U.S. Africa Direct, laid out the findings and took responsibility for what came about.

He acknowledged the document, which has now not yet been made public in tubby, singles out three folks whose actions shall be faulted. He did now not name them. U.S. Special Operations Direct will make any self-discipline choices, as successfully as methods about awards for valor, Waldhauser acknowledged, adding he believes there shall be awards for diverse acts of exceptional bravery by the troops.

The investigation has already brought on adjustments in the model militia activities are implemented in Niger and somewhere else in Africa, including giving teams the solution to utilize heavily armored autos and beefed-up firepower.

« We are now exceptional more prudent on our missions, » acknowledged Waldhauser, who sat alongside Cloutier, Africa Direct’s chief of workers who led the investigation.

A document summary released Thursday involves solutions to enhance mission planning and approval procedures, re-review instruments and weapons requirements, and review practicing that U.S. commandos conduct with companion forces.

Protection Secretary Jim Mattis directed Waldhauser to think immediate steps to tackle shortfalls, and has given senior leaders four months to complete a review and lay out a realizing for additional adjustments.

The summary lays out an advanced chain of events that unfolded on Oct. 3-Four, ending in the ambush, and substances to « person, organizational, and institutional failures and deficiencies that contributed to the tragic events. » But it concludes that « no single failure or deficiency was once the sole motive » for what came about.

It acknowledged the U.S. forces didn’t dangle time to put collectively collectively forward of they deployed and did now not attain preparatory battle drills with their Nigerien partners. And the document acknowledged lax verbal exchange and unlucky attention to miniature print ended in a « long-established lack of situational awareness and say oversight at every echelon. »

Robert Karem, the assistant defense secretary for world security affairs, who also spoke, acknowledged there are about 800 U.S. troops in Niger, and that none are presupposed to be engaged in teach fight. Most are fascinated regarding the development of a brand modern air wrong there.

In step with the document, the Military Special Forces team left Camp Ouallam on Oct. 3 to stream after Doundou Chefou, a leader of the Islamic Remark community who was once suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of an American relieve worker. However the team leader and his immediate supervisor submitted a determined mission to their better say, announcing they dangle been merely going out to meet tribal leaders.

Waldhauser called the mischaracterization of the mission unacceptable, nevertheless Cloutier rejected suggestions the team leaders lied. It is now not determined if these two are amongst the three provider participants he acknowledged can even face self-discipline.

« It wasn’t a deliberate intent to deceive, » Cloutier acknowledged. « It was once lack of attention to ingredient. »

When the Ouallam team obtained to the positioning the rebel wasn’t there.

Senior commanders, blind to the team’s earlier actions, then ordered the troops to support as backup for a second team’s raid, also focusing on Chefou. That mission was once aborted when weather grounded the second team. The Ouallam team participants dangle been then ordered to 1 other space to acquire intelligence also linked to Chefou, which they did with out considerations. On their system support to their home wrong they stopped at the village of Tongo Tongo to bag water.

Rapidly after leaving Tongo Tongo, about A hundred and twenty miles (200 kilometers) north of Niamey, Niger’s capital, they dangle been ambushed by Islamic Remark-linked militants carrying miniature hands and machine guns.

The document concludes that despite the indisputable truth that the enemy opponents can stream freely round the village home, « there is now not adequate evidence to bag that the villagers of Tongo Tongo willingly (with out duress) relieve and beef up them. Moreover, there is insufficient evidence to discover if villagers aided the enemy or participated in the attack. »

Cloutier acknowledged it appears to be insurgents tried to think away the our bodies of three of the killed American troops — Dark, Wright and Jeremiah Johnson — nevertheless fled when French fighter jets buzzed the home. Two of the our bodies dangle been demonstrate in the mattress of an enemy truck, and one other was once beside it.

The different American fatality, La David Johnson, and two Nigerien soldiers obtained separated from the others throughout the battle and dangle been gunned down. Johnson’s physique wasn’t came throughout till two days later. All dangle been stripped of weapons and instruments.

Households of the fallen dangle expressed frustration with the incident and the briefings they obtained.

« The full thing was once a screwed-up mess, » acknowledged Arnold Wright, father of Workers Sgt. Dustin Wright of Lyons, Georgia, who was once killed in the attack. Wright acknowledged he’s eager the Military could per chance be pinning blame on decrease-ranking soldiers and now not accepting responsibility excessive adequate up the chain of say.