French, Nigerien forces operating where three U.S. soldiers killedNIAMEY (Reuters) - French and Nigerien troops were conducting operations on Thursday in a region of Niger where three U.S. Army Special Forces members were killed the day before, becoming the first American soldiers to die in West Africa in decades. Three Nigerien soldiers were also killed and two U.S. soldiers wounded in the attack, which took place in a southwestern Niger region where insurgents are active, U.S. Africa Command spokeswoman Robyn Mack said. France s regional Barkhane force was asked to support a counterattack after the Niger and U.S. troops were ambushed, French army spokesman Colonel Patrick Steiger told a news conference in Paris.   It s not clear if the attackers knew the Americans were present,  said a Western security source.  Initial information suggests there was a trap that appeared designed to get them out of their vehicles and then they opened fire.  Insurgents in the area include militants from al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb and a local branch of Islamic State, Mack said. The Western security source said al Qaeda and a relatively new group called Islamic State in the Greater Sahara were the main suspects, although no one had yet claimed responsibility.  Two other Niger security sources said four military helicopters had been sent to the region and that reinforcements arrived on Thursday morning in the Tillaberi area, where the attack took place. The Pentagon declined to discuss details, citing ongoing operations, but said the U.S. forces were part of a growing mission to bolster Niger s armed forces  ability to battle militants.   We extend our deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of the fallen, and those injured in this attack,  Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White told a news briefing. Nigerien army Colonel Abou Tagu  said the joint Nigerian-American patrol on the Mali-Niger border was ambushed by militants riding  in a dozen vehicles and about 20 motorcycles near the village of Tongo Tongo.  He cited intense fighting, saying the joint Nigerian-American force  showed courage.  He said four Nigerien soldiers were killed and eight were wounded. A statement by U.S. Africa Command on Thursday said one unspecified  partner nation member  had died but did not name the nation. In a speech on Thursday, Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou condemned the attack.  Our country has just been the victim of a terrorist attack that claimed a large number of victims,  he said. Islamist militants form part of a regional insurgency in the poor, sparsely populated deserts of West Africa s Sahel. Jihadists have stepped up attacks on U.N. peacekeepers, Malian soldiers and civilian targets since being driven back in northern Mali by a French-led military intervention in 2013.  Malian militant groups have expanded their reach into neighboring countries, including Niger, where a series of attacks by armed groups led the government in March to declare a state of emergency in the southwest. The European Union has pledged tens of millions of euros to a new regional force of five Sahelian countries - Niger, Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mauritania - in a bid to contain Islamist militant groups. The United States also views the region as a growing priority. Rinaldo Depagne, West Africa project director at International Crisis Group, said the borderlands between Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso were  becoming a new permanent hotbed of violence , threatened by increasingly organized militant groups.  This shows the level of organization of these groups and also their confidence,  Depagne said.  Andrew Lebovich, a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said Wednesday s attack revealed how U.S. training of Nigerien forces  has accelerated and also verged into ongoing military operations .  The United States has about 800 service members in Niger, where it operates surveillance drones out of a $100 million base in the central city of Agadez to support the country s efforts to combat jihadists and protect its porous borders.  It has also sent troops to supply intelligence and other assistance to a multinational force battling the Nigerian Boko Haram militants near Niger s border with Nigeria. worldnews
french nigerian forces operating three soldiers killedniamey reuters french nigerian troops conducting operations thursday region niger three army special forces members killed day becoming first american soldiers die west africa decades three nigerian soldiers also killed two soldiers wounded attack took place southwestern niger region insurgents active africa command spokeswoman robin mack said france regional backhand force asked support counterattack niger troops ambushed french army spokesman colonel patrick striker told news conference paris it clear attackers knew americans present said western security source initial information suggests trap appeared designed get vehicles opened fire insurgents area include militants al qaeda islamic zagreb local branch islamic state mack said the western security source said al qaeda relatively new group called islamic state greater share main suspects although one yet claimed responsibility two niger security sources said four military helicopters sent region reinforcements arrived thursday morning tillaberi area attack took place the pentagon declined discuss details citing ongoing operations said forces part growing mission bolster niger armed forces ability battle militants we extend deepest condolences sympathies families fallen injured attack pentagon spokeswoman dana white told news briefing nigerian army colonel about tag said joint patrol border ambushed militants riding dozen vehicles motorcycles near village tango tango he cited intense fighting saying joint force showed courage he said four nigerian soldiers killed eight wounded a statement africa command thursday said one unspecified partner nation member died name nation in speech thursday niger president mahamadou issoufou condemned attack our country victim terrorist attack claimed large number victims said islamic militants form part regional insurgency poor sparsely populated deserts west africa she jihadists stepped attacks peacekeepers marian soldiers civilian targets since driven back northern mali military intervention marian militant groups expanded reach neighboring countries including niger series attacks armed groups led government march declare state emergency southwest the european union pledged tens millions euros new regional force five abelian countries niger mali chad burkina faso mauritania bid contain islamic militant groups the united states also views region growing priority ronaldo depagne west africa project director international crisis group said borderlands mali niger burkina faso becoming new permanent noted violence threatened increasingly organized militant groups this shows level organization groups also confidence depagne said andrew lebovich visiting fellow european council foreign relations said wednesday attack revealed training nigerian forces accelerated also merged ongoing military operations the united states service members niger operates surveillance drones million base central city agadez support country efforts combat jihadists protect porous borders it also sent troops supply intelligence assistance multinational force battling nigerian book haram militants near niger border nigeria worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: French, Nigerien forces operating where three U.S. soldiers killedNIAMEY (Reuters) - French and Nigerien troops were conducting operations on Thursday in a region of Niger where three U.S. Army Special Forces members were killed the day before, becoming the first American soldiers to die in West Africa in decades. Three Nigerien soldiers were also killed and two U.S. soldiers wounded in the attack, which took place in a southwestern Niger region where insurgents are active, U.S. Africa Command spokeswoman Robyn Mack said. France s regional Barkhane force was asked to support a counterattack after the Niger and U.S. troops were ambushed, French army spokesman Colonel Patrick Steiger told a news conference in Paris.   It s not clear if the attackers knew the Americans were present,  said a Western security source.  Initial information suggests there was a trap that appeared designed to get them out of their vehicles and then they opened fire.  Insurgents in the area include militants from al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb and a local branch of Islamic State, Mack said. The Western security source said al Qaeda and a relatively new group called Islamic State in the Greater Sahara were the main suspects, although no one had yet claimed responsibility.  Two other Niger security sources said four military helicopters had been sent to the region and that reinforcements arrived on Thursday morning in the Tillaberi area, where the attack took place. The Pentagon declined to discuss details, citing ongoing operations, but said the U.S. forces were part of a growing mission to bolster Niger s armed forces  ability to battle militants.   We extend our deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of the fallen, and those injured in this attack,  Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White told a news briefing. Nigerien army Colonel Abou Tagu  said the joint Nigerian-American patrol on the Mali-Niger border was ambushed by militants riding  in a dozen vehicles and about 20 motorcycles near the village of Tongo Tongo.  He cited intense fighting, saying the joint Nigerian-American force  showed courage.  He said four Nigerien soldiers were killed and eight were wounded. A statement by U.S. Africa Command on Thursday said one unspecified  partner nation member  had died but did not name the nation. In a speech on Thursday, Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou condemned the attack.  Our country has just been the victim of a terrorist attack that claimed a large number of victims,  he said. Islamist militants form part of a regional insurgency in the poor, sparsely populated deserts of West Africa s Sahel. Jihadists have stepped up attacks on U.N. peacekeepers, Malian soldiers and civilian targets since being driven back in northern Mali by a French-led military intervention in 2013.  Malian militant groups have expanded their reach into neighboring countries, including Niger, where a series of attacks by armed groups led the government in March to declare a state of emergency in the southwest. The European Union has pledged tens of millions of euros to a new regional force of five Sahelian countries - Niger, Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mauritania - in a bid to contain Islamist militant groups. The United States also views the region as a growing priority. Rinaldo Depagne, West Africa project director at International Crisis Group, said the borderlands between Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso were  becoming a new permanent hotbed of violence , threatened by increasingly organized militant groups.  This shows the level of organization of these groups and also their confidence,  Depagne said.  Andrew Lebovich, a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said Wednesday s attack revealed how U.S. training of Nigerien forces  has accelerated and also verged into ongoing military operations .  The United States has about 800 service members in Niger, where it operates surveillance drones out of a $100 million base in the central city of Agadez to support the country s efforts to combat jihadists and protect its porous borders.  It has also sent troops to supply intelligence and other assistance to a multinational force battling the Nigerian Boko Haram militants near Niger s border with Nigeria. worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: french nigerian forces operating three soldiers killedniamey reuters french nigerian troops conducting operations thursday region niger three army special forces members killed day becoming first american soldiers die west africa decades three nigerian soldiers also killed two soldiers wounded attack took place southwestern niger region insurgents active africa command spokeswoman robin mack said france regional backhand force asked support counterattack niger troops ambushed french army spokesman colonel patrick striker told news conference paris it clear attackers knew americans present said western security source initial information suggests trap appeared designed get vehicles opened fire insurgents area include militants al qaeda islamic zagreb local branch islamic state mack said the western security source said al qaeda relatively new group called islamic state greater share main suspects although one yet claimed responsibility two niger security sources said four military helicopters sent region reinforcements arrived thursday morning tillaberi area attack took place the pentagon declined discuss details citing ongoing operations said forces part growing mission bolster niger armed forces ability battle militants we extend deepest condolences sympathies families fallen injured attack pentagon spokeswoman dana white told news briefing nigerian army colonel about tag said joint patrol border ambushed militants riding dozen vehicles motorcycles near village tango tango he cited intense fighting saying joint force showed courage he said four nigerian soldiers killed eight wounded a statement africa command thursday said one unspecified partner nation member died name nation in speech thursday niger president mahamadou issoufou condemned attack our country victim terrorist attack claimed large number victims said islamic militants form part regional insurgency poor sparsely populated deserts west africa she jihadists stepped attacks peacekeepers marian soldiers civilian targets since driven back northern mali military intervention marian militant groups expanded reach neighboring countries including niger series attacks armed groups led government march declare state emergency southwest the european union pledged tens millions euros new regional force five abelian countries niger mali chad burkina faso mauritania bid contain islamic militant groups the united states also views region growing priority ronaldo depagne west africa project director international crisis group said borderlands mali niger burkina faso becoming new permanent noted violence threatened increasingly organized militant groups this shows level organization groups also confidence depagne said andrew lebovich visiting fellow european council foreign relations said wednesday attack revealed training nigerian forces accelerated also merged ongoing military operations the united states service members niger operates surveillance drones million base central city agadez support country efforts combat jihadists protect porous borders it also sent troops supply intelligence assistance multinational force battling nigerian book haram militants near niger border nigeria worldnews