Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., is calling for Defense Secretary James Mattis to release additional information on the military's advise-and-assist missions in Africa and elsewhere, The Hill is reporting.
His comments came as a result of four American soldiers killed last year as their unit was attacked by ISIS forces while on a mission with Nigerien forces.
Of particular concern is whether the Defense Department is using the "advise-and-assist" missions "to narrowly skirt, and in many cases, possibly cross, Congressional war power authorities – highlighting the need for greater oversight from Congress," he said.
A group of senators, including Kaine, received a closed-door briefing on the Niger attack earlier this month, and the Pentagon also provided lawmakers with a 180-page report on the incident.
Kaine, in a letter to Mattis, wants to know what "legal authority underpins any kill or capture missions planned or executed in Niger on Oct. 3-4, 2017?"
He asks Mattis to list "all direct-action operations conducted by U.S. military forces or partner forces supported by U.S. military personnel since January 2017 that have resulted in enemy casualties and/or detainees in the AFRICOM area of responsibility," outside of Somalia and Libya.
He also wants to know who approves the use of U.S. lethal force when on advise-and-assist missions.
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