Washington - US officials say a military investigation into the attack in Niger that killed four American service members concludes the team didn't get required senior command approval for their risky mission to capture a high-level Islamic State militant.
It doesn't point to that failure as a cause of the deadly ambush.
Initial information suggested the Army Special Forces team set out to meet local Nigerien leaders, only to be redirected to assist a second unit hunting for a militant, Doundou Chefou, suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of an American aid worker.
Officials say it now appears the team sought Chefou from the onset, without outlining that intent to higher-level commanders.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the results of the investigation before they are publicly released.
