Niamey, Niger (CNN) Outnumbered and lightly armed, a Green Beret-led team that was ambushed by militants in Niger earlier this month became separated during the firefight, US officials and a Nigerien soldier told CNN Thursday. The Nigerien soldier said he was told by wounded Nigerien troops that the first two vehicles had been hit by militants and subsequently split from the convoy. A US official directly familiar with after action reports also told CNN the convoy had been separated during the attack. French military helicopters and contractor aircraft landed to evacuate the wounded US and Nigerien troops, and then later returned for the bodies of the dead. On their way back to base, they stopped in a separate village in order to enable the Nigerien troops to replenish supplies.

Source: CNN October 27, 2017 04:41 UTC