Breaking: Three Green Berets killed, two wounded in Niger ambush (Fox News)

[TomSea]

Three Green Berets killed, two wounded in Niger ambush
By Lucas Tomlinson, Fox News

Three U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers were killed and two others were wounded Wednesday in an ambush in the west African country of Niger.

U.S. Africa Command confirmed that a joint patrol of Green Berets and Nigerien soliders was attacked in the southwestern part of Niger, near the border with Mali. Officials told Fox News that between eight and 10 troops were part of the patrol.

Officials told the Associated Press that the commandos were likely attacked by Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

Read more at: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/10/04/three-green-berets-killed-two-wounded-in-niger-ambush.html

[Sanguine]

Terrible.

I didn't realize that we had troops in Niger.

[TomSea]

1st off, too bad we are in really places that would seem god-forsaken like Niger or Somalia, the ultimate in backwards and poor countries.

We have aided the French, mostly financially, in their fighting terrorists in their former colonies like Niger, Chad and Mali but it could be some military assistance too.



The article is informative in this way. I'd just add in,  those nations are fighting Boko Haram too; we may be helping them in this fight as well. BH are not just in Nigeria. 

[TomSea]

Fourth Green Beret killed in Niger ambush

October 6, 2017, 6:38 PM| The body of a fourth U.S. servicemember was recovered Friday in the African nation of Niger. The soldier's name was not released. American troops were ambushed Wednesday while patrolling with local forces; al Qaeda is suspected.

Continued at: https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/fourth-green-beret-killed-in-niger-ambush/

Updating, it sounds like this one they found dead was lost at the time of the attack. Sad.

It seems that with that training accident that killed 2 soldiers last week, 2 in critical condition I last heard, I think that happened stateside and this, with now a toll of 4, a pretty bad week. I think there was a soldier killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq; that makes a total of 7 killed last week.

[truth_seeker]

Great. A was with a country named Niger.

[sneakypete]

Terrible.

I didn't realize that we had troops in Niger.

@Sanguine

There have been SF troops going to Africa on training missions since at least 1964. When the Simba's witch doctor told them he had cast a magic spell that made them immune to the white man's bullets ,they took over the capital of Stanleyville and commenced to cooking and eating white women and children in the streets.

The unit I was with at the time got alerted that we would be jumping into Stanleyville to rescue the whites,so off to Pope AFB we went in civilian clothes,and sat by the runway for a couple of days. That was when I found out I had a passport.

Anyhow,the decision was made at the UN to send in Belgian Paratroopers and some French Foreign Legion members,and suddenly the natives were no longer restless,and could hear their mamas calling and ran back home. Africans were well-aware of the aggression and abilities of the FFL,and wanted no parts of them.

Peace was restored,bodies were shoveled up  off the streets,and peace broke out all over.

[Sanguine]

Interesting, Pete.  But, why now?  What national interest do we possibly have?

[sneakypete]

Interesting, Pete.  But, why now?  What national interest do we possibly have?

@Sanguine

What national interest have we EVER had in Africa? IMHO,we should just surround and seal off the whole damn continent,and not let anything or anyone in OR out. Wait 10 years and then go in and see if we can reason with the survivors. If not,seal it off again and let them continue to eat eachother until there is nothing left to eat,and then open it again as a huge wild animal refuge.