Multiple news sources are reporting that three Green Berets have been killed and two wounded in the West African country of Niger. According to Reuters.com,

Three U.S. soldiers were killed and two others injured in an attack in southwest Niger on a joint patrol with Nigerien troops, U.S. Africa Command said in a statement on Thursday.

Another partner nation soldier also died in Wednesday’s attack, the statement said without specifying the nationality of the victim. The injured are in stable condition and have been evacuated to a medical center in Germany, it added.

Martha MacCallum first reported deaths of the Green Berets last evening:

The Green Berets are a Special Forces group headquartered out of Ft. Bragg in North Carolina. They are Airborne and:

The 1st Special Forces Regiment / U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Airborne) is a component of United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), which is itself part of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).

The Green Berets are 3rd Special Forces Group and are under the umbrella of Africom, the United States Africa Command. The United States began advising Niger in multiple areas under former President Barack Obama. Per the United States Department of State:

U.S. foreign assistance to Niger plays a critical role in preserving stability in a country vulnerable to political volatility, and food insecurity and regional instability. U.S. assistance seeks to continue to improve food security, strengthen reproductive health and maternal and child health services, support productive agricultural enterprises, promote democracy and good governance, support prison and judicial reform, and strengthen military education and training. Niger is one of six countries participating in President Obama’s Security Governance Initiative (SGI).

The attack on the Green Berets came while they were on a “routine patrol”, as reported by the U.K. Guardian:

The five Green Berets were attacked while on a routine patrol in an area known to have a presence of insurgents, including from al-Qaida in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Islamic State, a US official told Reuters.
It was unclear who fired on the US and US-backed forces, the official said. Those forces were not patrolling the area with any specific objective, such as a high-value target or rescuing a hostage, the official added.

According to GoArmy.com, there are typically twelve members on a “team” or “Operational Detachment Alpha”. There is no mention of any injuries to the other seven members of this team.

Please pray for the members of our United States Military and especially these new Gold Star Families whose loved ones have given “the last full measure of devotion”. May God Bless all of our military personnel.