Share

US military vehicle hit by bomb in Niger

Washington – A US military vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device in Niger, the site of a deadly jihadist attack on American forces in 2017, the military announced on Sunday.

The Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicle activated the bomb "while entering a firing range in the vicinity of Ouallam, Niger on June 8, 2019", during a joint training exercise, US Africa Command said in a statement.

"There are no reported US casualties, however, as a precaution, US service members are being evaluated," it said, adding that Nigerien forces had secured the scene of the blast.

Four American soldiers and four Nigerien soldiers were killed in an October 2017 ambush in the country, when scores of jihadists overran their convoy in southwestern Niger, near the border with Mali.

The ambush claimed the largest number of American lives in combat anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa since the "Black Hawk Down" incident in Somalia in 1993.

Niger is one of a number of poor, fragile countries in the Sahel region that have been hit by a jihadist revolt.

Various insurgent groups operate in the country's west and north, and Nigeria's Boko Haram is present in its southeast.

The country is part of the so-called G5 Sahel group, set up to manage a coordinated response to the jihadist insurgency.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do you think corruption-accused National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will survive a motion of no confidence against her?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, her days are numbered
41% - 558 votes
Yes, the ANC caucus will protect her
59% - 802 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.88
+0.3%
Rand - Pound
23.86
+0.2%
Rand - Euro
20.39
+0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.31
+0.2%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.2%
Platinum
908.05
0.0%
Palladium
1,014.94
0.0%
Gold
2,232.75
-0.0%
Silver
24.95
-0.1%
Brent Crude
87.00
+1.8%
Top 40
68,346
0.0%
All Share
74,536
0.0%
Resource 10
57,251
0.0%
Industrial 25
103,936
0.0%
Financial 15
16,502
0.0%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE