Niger: Frequently Asked Questions About the October 2017 Attack on U.S. Soldiers

Summary

A deadly attack on U.S. soldiers in Niger and their local counterparts on October 4, 2017, has prompted many questions from Members of Congress about the incident. It has also highlighted a range of broader issues for Congress pertaining to oversight and authorization of U.S. military deployments, evolving U.S. global counterterrorism activities and strategy, interagency security assistance and cooperation efforts, and U.S. engagement with countries historically considered peripheral to core U.S. national security interests. This report provides background information in response to the following frequently asked questions:

What is the security situation in Niger?

How big is the U.S. military presence in Niger?

For what purposes are U.S. military personnel in Niger, and what role has Congress played in the U.S. military presence there?

Is the U.S. military presence in Niger related to the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF)?

What is the state of U.S.-Niger relations and aid?

Where else in Africa are U.S. military personnel deployed?

Medical evacuation: What is the “golden hour” and does it apply to troop deployments in Africa?

What are the broader implications of building partner capacity in Niger for DOD?

Who were the four U.S. soldiers killed in Niger on October 4?

What do we know about the alleged perpetrators of the October 4 attack?

It also identifies potential issues for Congress as Members look ahead to ongoing and future authorization, appropriations, and oversight activities. A chronology of terrorist attacks in the Sahel and related developments is provided in an Appendix. Additional details surrounding the October 4 ambush and its aftermath may continue to emerge as information becomes available.

The following CRS products provide additional analysis of issues discussed in this report:

CRS In Focus IF10172, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Related Groups, by Alexis Arieff;

CRS Report R44563, Terrorism and Violent Extremism in Africa, by Lauren Ploch Blanchard and Alexis Arieff;

CRS Report R42699, The War Powers Resolution: Concepts and Practice, by Matthew C. Weed;

CRS Report R43983, 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force: Issues Concerning Its Continued Application, by Matthew C. Weed;

CRS Report R44313, What Is “Building Partner Capacity?” Issues for Congress, coordinated by Kathleen J. McInnis;

CRS Report R44602, DOD Security Cooperation: An Overview of Authorities and Issues, by Bolko J. Skorupski and Nina M. Serafino;

CRS Report RS21048, U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF): Background and Issues for Congress, by Andrew Feickert.