Source: U.S. Department of State Rewards For Justice poster Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi (Abu Walid

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The U.S. Department of State is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi, the leader of the terrorist organization Islamic State for the deadly Oct. 4, 2017 attack on a joint U.S.-Nigerien military patrol that left four American soldiers dead. The soldiers were Sgt. First Class Jeremiah Johnson, Staff Sgt. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright, and Sgt. La David Johnson, who were all assigned to Army Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3212. The reward is being offered through the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice  Program.  On October 4, 2017, ISIS-Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS)-linked militants ambushed members of a U.S. Special Forces team – in Niger to train, advise, and assist Nigerien forces to fight terrorism – and partner Nigerien forces near the village of Tongo Tongo, Niger close to the Malian border. The ISIS-GS attack resulted in the deaths of four U.S. and four Nigerien soldiers. Two additional Americans and eight Nigeriens were wounded in the encounter.

Credit: U.S. Army Photos /  Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson, Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright, and Sgt. La David T. Johnson

On January 12, 2018, ISIS-GS leader Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi claimed responsibility for the ambush. ’Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi (Abu Walid) is the leader of the designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) ISIS in the Greater Sahara (also known as ISIS-GS), according to the State Department. ISIS-GS emerged when Abu Walid and his followers split from al-Qa’ida splinter group Al-Mourabitoun