• Lexington
  • Rockbridge
  • Buena Vista
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Regional
  • In-Depth Reporting
  • About Us
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Rockbridge Report
Rockbridge Report
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn
  • Lexington
  • Rockbridge
  • Buena Vista
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Regional
  • In-Depth Reporting
  • About Us
Thursday, September 28
Rockbridge Report
Home»Hero»3 US commandos, 1 Niger soldier killed in attack in West Africa

3 US commandos, 1 Niger soldier killed in attack in West Africa

October 5, 20173 Mins Read

By Dalatou Mamane and Lolita C. Baldor

Niamey, Niger (AP) — Three U.S. Army special operations commandos and one “partner nation” member were killed in an attack in Niger’s southwest. The ambush happened while the U.S. was providing assistance to security force counter-terror operations, U.S. Africa Command said Thursday.

U.S. officials did not specify the nationality of the fourth soldier killed, but said two other U.S. service members were wounded in Wednesday’s attack about 124 miles north of Niger’s capital, Niamey, near its border with Mali.

Niger’s President Mahamadou Issoufou said several Niger soldiers died in the attack, which he said was carried out by Mali-based Islamic extremists near Niger’s village of Tongo-Tongo in the Tillaberi region.

“Our country is once again the target of a terrorist attack, with a large number of victims,” he said.

Islamic extremist groups, including al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, operate in the region and sporadically launch cross-border raids. Despite the intervention of French troops in 2013 that pushed the extremists from their strongholds in northern Mali, they continue their attacks.

Boko Haram, based south in Nigeria, has also staged several attacks in Niger.

U.S. Africa Command said the forces were with a joint U.S. and Nigerien patrol near the Mali border, when they came under hostile fire Wednesday. The U.S. forces are in Niger to provide training and security assistance to the Nigerien Armed Forces in their efforts against violent extremists, said the statement.

The two wounded U.S. service members were evacuated in stable condition to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, U.S. Africa Command said in its statement.

The commandos, who were Green Berets, were likely attacked by al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb militants, said U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the incident publicly.

The White House said President Donald Trump was notified about the attack Wednesday night as he flew aboard Air Force One from Las Vegas to Washington.

Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad are putting together a 5,000-strong G5 Sahel force to fight the growing threat from extremists in the vast Sahel region. The first units are expected to deploy in October and all battalions should be on the ground by March 2018.

The Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution in June welcoming the deployment, but at U.S. insistence it did not include any possibility of U.N. financing for the force.

The countries have been pressing the international community to help with funding of equipping the troops and ensuring their mobility, communications and protection in the field.

That force will operate in the region along with a 12,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission in Mali and France’s 5,000-strong Barkhane military operation, its largest overseas mission. The region has become the deadliest in the world for U.N. peacekeepers.

Related

Apr. 6, 2023 Newscast
Apr. 4, 2023 News Update

rockbridgereport

The commonwealth’s attorney for Rockbridge Count The commonwealth’s attorney for Rockbridge County and Lexington said he wants victims of sexual assault at Washington and Lee University to seek help from police and prosecutors who can investigate and file criminal charges. 

In the past month, two former W&L students have faced sexual assault charges.

Read Ned Newton’s full story on our website, rockbridgereport.wlu.edu.
Lexington’s City Council has given the go-ahead Lexington’s City Council has given the go-ahead for a developer to begin drafting plans to build apartments off Spotswood Drive. 

The new permit approval comes after months of controversy about the design. 

Read Andrew Arnold’s full story on our website, rockbridgereport.wlu.edu.
A new, 24-hour EMS crew will help in providing bac A new, 24-hour EMS crew will help in providing backup services to Glasgow and other nearby cities and towns.

For more details on the new EMS crew, visit: https://youtu.be/k03HNBKB978.
Buddy, the horse, and Police Chief Angela Greene l Buddy, the horse, and Police Chief Angela Greene led the Lexington Christmas Parade. Buddy is one of the future Mounted Police Unit horses working with the Lexington police. 

Watch Buddy and the latest broadcast of the Rockbridge Report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDZ4A6xuk-4
A developer sought final city approval this week t A developer sought final city approval this week to build 62 apartment units on Lexington’s Spotswood Drive.

Echelon Resources went before the city’s planning commission Thursday to request a permit allowing the developer company to construct multi-family housing at the Spotswood site. The planning commission will offer a recommendation for approval or denial to the Lexington City Council. The city council will likely have a final vote on the permit in early January.

The proposal received some pushback from Lexington residents who fear the development will significantly increase traffic, impede the local hospital, or strain the city’s water and sewer systems. 

For more details on the Spotswood proposal visit: https://rockbridgereport.academic.wlu.edu/2022/12/08/spotswood-drive-apartment-complex-moves-forward/
Lexington’s city manager is searching for a full Lexington’s city manager is searching for a full-time city attorney. The previous city attorney, Jared Jenkins, no longer serves in the position following his split from Mann Legal Group.

Learn more by visiting the Rockbridge Report website: https://rockbridgereport.academic.wlu.edu/2022/12/08/lexington-replaces-city-attorney/
Two students at Virginia Military Institute and Wa Two students at Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University posted bomb threats on anonymous social media platforms last week.

After investigations, both posts proved to be false alarms. Disciplinary measures for the students are unclear. 

Read the full story here: https://rockbridgereport.academic.wlu.edu/2022/12/08/two-university-bomb-threats-posted-on-anonymous-social-media-proved-false/
Local nonprofits, like the Rockbridge Area Relief Local nonprofits, like the Rockbridge Area Relief Association (RARA) and Washington and Lee’s Campus Kitchen, will provide extra support for families facing food insecurity during the holidays.

Read more about this on the Rockbridge Report website: https://rockbridgereport.academic.wlu.edu/2022/12/08/community-groups-to-offer-food-to-students-and-their-families-during-holiday-break/
“Normal people can’t afford that." Lexington “Normal people can’t afford that."

Lexington is Stacey Dickerson-Suggs’ hometown, but the single mother can’t afford to live here. Virginia house prices are going up about 10% each year. In Lexington, the median price of a home has increased 27% in the past year.

Read more about this on the Rockbridge Report website: https://rockbridgereport.academic.wlu.edu/2022/12/08/lexington-renters-buyers-cant-find-affordable-housing/
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Twitter
My Tweets
Reporters
Producers
Supervisors

Kevin Finch

Toni Locy

Alecia Swasy

Michael Todd

Rockbridge Report
© 2023 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Go to mobile version