State Department offers $5M for arrest in Niger ambush that killed 4 Green Berets

Oct. 4 (UPI) -- The U.S. State Department on Friday offered a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators of an ambush that killed four U.S. Green Berets in Niger two years ago.

The Trump administration made the offer through its Rewards for Justice program.

The attack happened Oct. 4, 2017, in southwestern Niger against U.S. Special Forces who were conducting a joint patrol with Nigerien forces.

The Department of Defense identified the soldiers who were killed as Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, 35, of Puyallup, Wash.; Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson, 39, of Springboro, Ohio; Sgt. La David Johnson, 25, of Miami Gardens, Fla.; and Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright, 29, of Lyons, Ga. The soldiers were assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Fort Bragg, N.C.

Another two Americans and eight Nigeriens sustained injuries.

On Jan. 12, 2018, Islamic State of the Greater Sahara leader Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi claimed responsibility for the attack. Rewards for Justice offered up a separate $5 million reward for information locating him.

"Rewards for Justice is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction in any country of any individual who bears responsibility for this act of terror," the State Department said.