Niger: US remembers Tongo Tongo attack 7 years on --[Reported by Umva mag]

Seven years after the ambush that claimed the lives of eight Nigerien and American soldiers, the tragedy is still fresh in the mind. While the fight against terrorism in the Sahel remains a challenge, the US Embassy in Niger celebrated the event.

Exactly seven years ago, American and Nigerien soldiers on patrol in western Niger were attacked by jihadists. Eight of them, including four Americans and four Nigeriens, lost their lives in the ambush, which also left several wounded. On Friday, October 4, the American Embassy in Niamey hosted a gathering to commemorate the tragic event.

“Today is a day of solemn reflection on the price of freedom. We gather to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the ambush of our brave Nigerien and American soldiers near Tongo Tongo that left eight dead and others wounded,” said Ambassador Kathleen FitzGibbon.

The attack marked a turning point for the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISIGS), which gained visibility after this dairng ambsush. Five years later, the group grew to become the main affiliate of the Islamic State in the Sahel, independent of Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP).

Among the main perpetrators of the attack was Higo al Maghribi, who was often photographed with an American weapon seized in the ambush. Most of those responsible for the attack, including al Maghribi, were eliminated during counterterrorism operations in the region. Similarly, EIGS leader Adnan Abou Walid al Sahraoui was killed by the French army in 2021, but that hasn’t stopped the group from reinventing itself and gaining a firmer foothold in the Sahel, even changing its strategy from “mass violence to territorial control,” according to the NGO ACLED.

The US embassy reiterated that the fight against terrorism remains a global challenge. Speaking at the 11th ministerial meeting of the international coalition against terrorism, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted that Islamic State-affiliated groups have gained ground in sub-Saharan Africa, increasing the security threat.

Although U.S. troops left Niger after the transitional regime terminated its defense agreements with Washington, negotiations are reportedly underway for their return, according to Le Canard Enchaîné.  Washington reaffirms its commitment to supporting Niger and its partners in the fight against violent extremism, with the goal of restoring stability and peace to the Sahel region.

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