![]() ![]() The report concludes that although the enemy fighters can move freely around the village area, “there is not enough evidence to conclude that the villagers of Tongo Tongo willingly (without duress) aid and support them. Soon after leaving Tongo Tongo, about 120 miles (200 kilometers) north of Niamey, Niger’s capital, they were ambushed by Islamic State-linked militants carrying small arms and machine guns. forces didn’t have time to train together before they deployed and did not do preparatory battle drills with their Nigerien partners. On their way back to their home base they stopped at the village of Tongo Tongo to get water. The Ouallam team members were then ordered to another location to collect intelligence also linked to Chefou, which they did without problems. That mission was aborted when weather grounded the second team. Senior commanders, unaware of the team’s earlier actions, then ordered the troops to serve as backup for a second team’s raid, also targeting Chefou. When the Ouallam team got to the location the insurgent wasn’t there. “It wasn’t a deliberate intent to deceive,” Cloutier said. It’s not clear if those two are among the three service members he said could face discipline. Waldhauser called the mischaracterization of the mission unacceptable, but Cloutier rejected suggestions the team leaders lied. But the team leader and his immediate supervisor submitted a different mission to their higher command, saying they were simply going out to meet tribal leaders. 3 to go after Doundou Chefou, a leader of the Islamic State group who was suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of an American aid worker. Most are involved in the construction of a new air base there.Īccording to the report, the Army Special Forces team left Camp Ouallam on Oct. troops in Niger, and that none are supposed to be engaged in direct combat. Robert Karem, the assistant defense secretary for international security affairs, who also spoke, said there are about 800 U.S. And the report said lax communication and poor attention to details led to a “general lack of situational awareness and command oversight at every echelon.” 3-4, ending in the ambush, and points to “individual, organizational, and institutional failures and deficiencies that contributed to the tragic events.” But it concludes that “no single failure or deficiency was the sole reason” for what happened. The summary lays out a confusing chain of events that unfolded on Oct. commandos conduct with partner forces.ĭefense Secretary Jim Mattis directed Waldhauser to take immediate steps to address shortfalls, and has given senior leaders four months to complete a review and lay out a plan for additional changes. “We are now far more prudent on our missions,” said Waldhauser, who sat alongside Cloutier, Africa Command’s chief of staff who led the investigation.Ī report summary released Thursday includes recommendations to improve mission planning and approval procedures, re-evaluate equipment and weapons requirements, and review training that U.S. The investigation has already triggered changes in the way military activities are carried out in Niger and elsewhere in Africa, including giving teams the option to use heavily armored vehicles and beefed-up firepower. ![]() Special Operations Command will make any discipline decisions, as well as recommendations on awards for valor, Waldhauser said, adding he believes there will be awards for numerous acts of extraordinary bravery by the troops. He said the report, which has not yet been made public in full, singles out three individuals whose actions could be faulted. Africa Command, laid out the findings and took responsibility for what happened. None were captured alive by the enemy, and all died immediately or quickly from their wounds, it said.Īfter months of silence during the investigation, Gen. The Americans who were killed “gave their last full measure of devotion to our country and died with honor while actively engaging the enemy,” the report said. Four Nigerien troops were also killed, and two American soldiers and eight Nigerien forces were wounded. Johnson, 39, of Springboro, Ohio and Staff Sgt. Black, 35, of Puyallup, Washington Staff Sgt. Johnson, 25, of Miami Gardens, Florida Staff Sgt. “The direct cause of the enemy attack in Tongo Tongo is that the enemy achieved tactical surprise there and our forces were outnumbered approximately three-to-one.” ![]()
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