Defense Secretary James Mattis has rejected an internal probe of the 2017 ambush that left four special-operations soldiers dead.
Army Times reported Dec. 10 that Mattis is “livid” over the possibility that investigators may conclude that a Green Beret officer who was on the ground during the incident is the only person deserving a reprimand — while senior officers would go unpunished.
Mattis is now reviewing the report investigators issued in May, part of which was made public, Army Times reported. A spokeswoman told the paper that Mattis’ review is “ongoing.”
The investigation unveiled numerous issues with the way the counterterrorism mission in Africa was conducted. Equipment did not work properly, and military leaders approved of joint missions between U.S. special operators and “local partners,” Army Times reported.
