Top US general says military owes the families of fallen soldiers and the American people answers on what happened in Niger.     Photo: AP

The U.S. special forces unit ambushed by Islamic militants in Niger didn’t call for help until an hour into their first contact with the enemy, the top U.S. general says, conceding many questions linger about the assault that killed four American troops and triggered a political brawl.

Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters the American people and the fallen soldiers’ families deserve answers about the deadly ambush in the West African nation. But Dunford said Monday that he still lacks many details about how the attack unfolded.

At a Pentagon news conference, Dunford asked for patience as the military continues to investigate the incident.

Dunford’s description of the assault, however, underscored how long the mid-morning attack dragged on, and that it was many hours before the wounded and killed were evacuated. He said that “within minutes” after the unit called for assistance, a U.S. drone was moved into position overhead, providing surveillance and full-motion video. He declined to say if it was armed, but said it did not fire.

Another hour went by before French fighter jets arrived, but the wounded weren’t taken out until later in the afternoon when French helicopters arrived along with additional Niger troops. The bodies of three Green Berets who were killed were evacuated that evening, he said.

“I make no judgment as to how long it took them to ask for support,” Dunford said.

A battle-hardened commander, Dunford recalled situations when, “you’re confronted with enemy contact, your initial assessment is you can deal with that contact with the resources that you have.”

He added that under the military’s rules, U.S. forces only accompany Niger troops on missions in that area when “the chances of enemy contact are unlikely.” But he also agreed that it is an inherently dangerous area, and U.S. forces are there as part of a training and advising mission to help local Niger forces learn to deal with the various al-Qaida and IS-linked groups operating in the region.

Dunford acknowledged that nearly three weeks after the attack, many questions remain. He said the military will try to wrap up its investigation into the incident as quickly as possible.

Dunford defended the broader American mission in Niger, saying U.S. forces have been in the country intermittently for more than two decades.