In the early morning hours of 6 December 2017 militants believed to be affiliated with the Islamic State in West Africa attacked a patrol of US Army Special Forces and Nigerien soldiers near Diffa, in the Lake Chad Basin Region in Niger.[1] During the ensuing firefight, no Nigerien or American personal were killed or wounded while 11 militants including two wearing suicide vests died, an enemy weapons cache was also destroyed by the joint US/Nigerien force a United States Africa Command statement said.[2][3] The firefight was not planned as the purpose of the mission was aimed at setting "The conditions for future partner-led operations against violent extremist organizations in the region" the statement added.[4]