Alwaght- Three US Army special operations commandos were killed Wednesday and two others were wounded when they came under fire in southwest Niger.
Five Nigerien soldiers were also among the dead, said Namatta Abubacar, an official for the region of Tillaberi in Niger.
US military officials speaking on condition of anonymity say the two wounded were taken to Niamey, the capital, adding that the commandos, who were Green Berets, were likely attacked by al-Qaida in the Maghreb militants.
In a statement, US Africa Command said the forces were with a joint American and Nigerien patrol north of Niamey, near the Mali border, when they came under hostile fire.
Africa Command said the US forces are reportedly in uranium-rich West African nation of Niger to provide training and security assistance to the Nigerien Armed Forces in their efforts against violent extremists.
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.
The US has expanded its military presence in Niger where it is already building a drone base under construction on the outskirts of the city of Agadez.
Niger has positioned itself to be the key regional hub for intrusive US military operations, with Agadez serving as the premier outpost for launching spying, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions in that part of Africa.
The US has quietly expanded its military presence throughout Africa in an attempt to counter Chinese and other emerging nations’ influence, while consolidating control over critical strategic resources and trade routes.
Following the controversial 9/11 'attacks', the US began to grow its military footprint on the African continent under the guise of a ‘War on Terror’.
