“Major Intelligence Failure” Led to Niger Ambush Says Aide
Earlier this month four US service members in Niger were ambushed, resulting in their deaths. About 40 to 50 ISIS-affiliated militants attacked the 12-person squad, killing three Green Berets and one solider. According to a senior congressional aide, this can be attributed to a “massive intelligence failure” according to NBC News.
The aide also suggested that if French fighter jets weren’t there to play a crucial role in the fight, that things would have been worse. US forces reportedly did not have ample surveillance and no emergency response team for the mission.
There are a number of scenarios being investigated by multiple Defense Department offices. The aide shared one scenario where US soldiers were allegedly delayed intentionally in the village they were visiting. The soldiers were pursuing men on motorcycles who then lured them into the ambush according to NBC News.
More details continue to come out on what happened around the incident.
