This report provides background information and context on the U.S. military presence in Niger, and several related issues, in response to frequently asked questions. Congress has shaped U.S. engagement with Niger and the U.S. military footprint in the country through its authorization and appropriation of funding for U.S. security cooperation and assistance programs, and through its authorization of funding for U.S. military construction. What is the security situation in Niger? How big is the U.S. military presence in Niger? This trend is the product of several overlapping developments, including:
A stated U.S. interest in responding to the proliferation and spread of Islamist insurgent groups in West Africa since the collapse of the Qadhafi regime in Libya in 2011, the start of Mali's internal crisis in 2012, and the escalation of the Boko Haram insurgency in 2014; DOD's provision of logistical and intelligence support for France's multicountry counterterrorism operation in the Sahel, Operation Barkhane, which France launched in 2014 following its 2013 military intervention in Mali; and An interest, both in Congress and under the George W. Bush and Obama Administrations, in "building partner capacity" to counter terrorism, in part as a stated effort to preclude large-scale U.S. combat operations (see " What are the broader implications of building partner capacity? For what purposes are U.S. military personnel in Niger, and what role has Congress played in the U.S. military presence there? Is the U.S. military presence in Niger related to the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF)? What is the state of U.S.-Niger relations and aid? Where else in Africa are U.S. military personnel deployed? Medical evacuation: What is the "golden hour" and does it apply to troop deployments in Africa? What are the broader implications of building partner capacity in Niger for DOD? Who were the four U.S. soldiers killed in Niger on October 4? What do we know about the alleged perpetrators of the October 4 attack? Outlook and Issues for Congress

For many Members of Congress, the events of October 4 and their aftermath have highlighted broad issues and challenges related to the effective congressional oversight of U.S. military deployments, U.S. counterterrorism policy in remote regions, and executive-legislative branch information sharing. Appendix. Chronology
A deadly attack on U.S. soldiers in Niger and their local counterparts on October 4, 2017, has prompted many questions from Members of Congress about the incident. It has also highlighted a range of broader issues for Congress pertaining to oversight and authorization of U.S. military deployments, evolving U.S. global counterterrorism activities and strategy, interagency security assistance and cooperation efforts, and U.S. engagement with countries historically considered peripheral to core U.S. national security interests. This report provides background information in response to the following frequently asked questions:
What is the security situation in Niger? How big is the U.S. military presence in Niger? For what purposes are U.S. military personnel in Niger, and what role has Congress played in the U.S. military presence there? Is the U.S. military presence in Niger related to the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF)? What is the state of U.S.-Niger relations and aid? Where else in Africa are U.S. military personnel deployed? Medical evacuation: What is the "golden hour" and does it apply to troop deployments in Africa? What are the broader implications of building partner capacity in Niger for DOD? Who were the four U.S. soldiers killed in Niger on October 4? What do we know about the alleged perpetrators of the October 4 attack?
It also identifies potential issues for Congress as Members look ahead to ongoing and future authorization, appropriations, and oversight activities. A chronology of terrorist attacks in the Sahel and related developments is provided in an Appendix. Additional details surrounding the October 4 ambush and its aftermath may continue to emerge as information becomes available.
The following CRS products provide additional analysis of issues discussed in this report:
CRS In Focus IF10172, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Related Groups, by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report R44563, Terrorism and Violent Extremism in Africa, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report R42699, The War Powers Resolution: Concepts and Practice, by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report R43983, 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force: Issues Concerning Its Continued Application, by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report R44313, What Is "Building Partner Capacity?" Issues for Congress, coordinated by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report R44602, DOD Security Cooperation: An Overview of Authorities and Issues, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report RS21048, U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF): Background and Issues for Congress, by [author name scrubbed].