{"id":26676,"date":"2018-06-12T17:31:00","date_gmt":"2018-06-12T17:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/06\/12\/mattis-despite-recent-kias-in-africa-us-troops-arent-there-for-combat\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:25:19","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:25:19","slug":"mattis-despite-recent-kias-in-africa-us-troops-arent-there-for-combat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/06\/12\/mattis-despite-recent-kias-in-africa-us-troops-arent-there-for-combat\/","title":{"rendered":"Mattis: Despite recent KIAs in Africa, US troops aren\u2019t there for combat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.armytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2018\/06\/10\/pentagon-identifies-special-operations-soldier-killed-in-attack-in-somalia\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">attacks <\/a>that have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2018\/03\/06\/probe-finds-deadly-niger-mission-lacked-proper-approval\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">killed <\/a>and wounded U.S. troops operating in Africa, the role of forces there remains in advising partners, not in direct <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2018\/04\/23\/isis-al-qaida-regrouping-in-libya-whats-us-strategy-congress-asks\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">combat<\/a>, according to the Pentagon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Staff Sgt. Alexander Conrad, 26, died last week in an attack while supporting Operation Octave Shield, the mission focused on terrorist groups in Somalia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An estimated 800 Somali and Kenyan forces with the support of a couple dozen U.S. special operations forces were on a multi-day operation about 220 miles southwest of Mogadishu, U.S. Africa Command officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2018\/03\/06\/africom-4-star-faces-questions-on-us-troops-killed-in-niger-ambush\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"184\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18065584818681.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">AFRICOM 4-star faces questions on US troops killed in Niger ambush<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The Marine general who heads combat operations in Africa faced questions from lawmakers about the investigation into the deaths of four soldiers in an October ambush in Niger.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This week while speaking with the press, Defense Secretary James Mattis said that such forces are there to \u201cadvise them how to go about their job, train them in all the things we do. They\u2019re not in the combat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"750\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ARM-SSG-Conrad-Alexander.png.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-31582\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ARM-SSG-Conrad-Alexander.png.png 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ARM-SSG-Conrad-Alexander.png.png?resize=300,188 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ARM-SSG-Conrad-Alexander.png.png?resize=768,480 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ARM-SSG-Conrad-Alexander.png.png?resize=1024,640 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Staff Sgt. Alexander Conrad, 26, was killed June 8, 2018, in an enemy attack in Jubaland, Somalia. Conrad was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group. (Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNow, does that mean they\u2019re completely safe? No, that\u2019s why we use the U.S. Army,\u201d Mattis said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A decade into its existence, AFRICOM has remained largely out of the spotlight as higher intensity battles in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria garner most public attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But this most recent death along with other higher-profile incidents over the past year have increased public scrutiny of the various missions being conducted on the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2018\/05\/10\/niger-investigation-what-went-wrong-whats-being-done-to-fix-it\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"197\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP_17279847282098.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Niger investigation: What went wrong, what\u2019s being done to fix it<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Mistakes that led to an outmanned and outgunned convoy of U.S. and Nigerien forces getting overrun last October were widespread, a 6,300-page investigation has found.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Four U.S. soldiers and four Nigerien troops died in an attack by as many as 100 Islamic State militants during an Oct. 4, 2017 attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2018\/05\/27\/names-of-4-soldiers-killed-in-niger-added-to-memorial-wall-at-fort-bragg\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">The U.S. troops killed<\/a> were: Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson and Sgt. La David T. Johnson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"767\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18013657879901.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-30065\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18013657879901.jpg.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18013657879901.jpg.jpg?resize=300,120 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18013657879901.jpg.jpg?resize=768,307 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18013657879901.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,409 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18013657879901.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,614 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">FILE &#8211; These images provided by the U.S. Army show, from left, Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, 35, of Puyallup, Wash.; Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson, 39, of Springboro, Ohio; Sgt. La David Johnson of Miami Gardens, Fla.; and Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright, 29, of Lyons, Ga. All four were killed in Niger, when a joint patrol of American and Niger forces was ambushed on Oct. 4, 2017,  by militants believed linked to the Islamic State group.  The Mauritanian Nouakchott News Agency reported Friday, Jan. 12, 2018 that Abu al-Walid al-Sahrawi with the self-professed IS affiliate claimed responsibility for the Oct. 4 ambush about 120 miles (200 kilometers) north of Niger&#8217;s capital, Niamey.  (U.S. Army via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those losses triggered <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2018\/05\/17\/pentagon-releases-extended-video-of-niger-ambush\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">an investigation<\/a>, which concluded the forces were on a mission that lacked proper approval and was borne, in part, out of a risk-taking culture and complacency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No such investigation has been publicly announced in relation to the death of Conrad.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/05\/13\/following-niger-ambush-pentagon-promises-more-air-support-in-africa\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"157\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4312668.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Following Niger ambush, Pentagon promises more air support in Africa<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">After contact with the enemy, it took an hour and a half for the first American aircraft to arrive overhead the battlefield where four U.S. soldiers were killed near the village of Tongo Tongo, Niger, on Oct. 4.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mattis characterized the ongoing Africa mission as one that often involved such training and advising scenarios for partner forces. That requires deciding how many troops to train and what\u2019s being trained. Those factors help determine the amount of U.S. forces and support needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAll of these things are looked at, and then you do assignment: number of troops for that task. Right now, it is totally done by, with and through our allies,\u201d Mattis said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He emphasized that there are \u201cno strike forces there on the ground right now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the option remains, if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNow, we could bring them in if we found, you know, an al-Qaida leader that we wanted to go after, and we would do that with \u2014 by, with and through, however, our allies,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>But strike forces are an option if needed, defense secretary says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":52457,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":13,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,13,24,89,16,26,65,67],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3393],"class_list":["post-26676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-flashpoints","category-home","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress","category-your-air-force"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"R4WSVIR4VNCM7CQ4XMMOZNYN64","arc_canonical_url":"\/flashpoints\/2018\/06\/12\/mattis-despite-recent-kias-in-africa-us-troops-arent-there-for-combat\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented 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