Trump administration admits it doesn't have 'all the accurate information' on four US soldiers killed in Niger

Defence Secretary James Mattis said the 'US military does not leave its troops behind'

US Secretary of Defence Jim Mattis speaks about the deaths of four US soldiers in Niger earlier this month as he meets with his Israeli counterpart at the Pentagon on 19 October 2017. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty)

Defence Secretary James Mattis said that the Pentagon does not "have all the accurate information yet" regarding the ambush in Niger that killed four US soldiers.

Mr Mattis spoke briefly to reporters during a meeting with his Israeli counterpart at the Pentagon and confirmed that an investigation is underway as happens whenever a soldier dies.

Staff Sergeants Bryan Black, Jeremiah Johnson, Dustin Wright, and Mr Johnson were patrolling with Niger troops when they were ambushed by militants thought to be affiliated with Isis.

Mr Johnson's body was recovered 48 hours after the others, prompting questions about the mission and why he appeared to have been left behind. Mr Mattis noted that the "US military does not leave its troops behind".

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, a retired Marine General, said that "an investigation doesn’t mean anything was wrong. ...doesn’t mean that heads are going to roll."

Mr Kelly said the Defence Department just needs to find out what happened.

Mr Mattis, in response to some news reports, asked that the media "not question the actions of the troops caught in the firefight" who "did everything they could" to recover all the wounded and killed in action at the same time.

"We at the DOD like to know what we’re talking about before we talk," Mr Mattis said as an explanation for the lack of more details on the investigation.

Mr Mattis confirmed that the soldiers were there on a foreign internal defence training mission to "help the people in the region defend themselves."

He said twice that these types of counter-terror missions are are done "by, with, and through our allies" and noted that the French military, who have suffered losses in the region for several years, helped evacuate wounded US soldiers.

However, Mr Mattis said "war is war" and militants, Isis and otherwise, in the region are conducting a war on innocent people.

There is a "reason we have US army soldiers there and not the peace corps...we carry guns," the Secretary said in his characteristic direct tone.

He also said the media should not "confuse" the need for rapid information with the military's ability to provide it at that rate given the circumstances.

The Defence Secretary also responded to the recent controversy surrounding Donald Trump's silence on the deaths of the soldiers in Niger for nearly 12 days after which he said he was not sure whether previous presidents, particularly Barack Obama, ever called or consoled Gold Star families.

He later attempted to backtrack his comments by saying that is what he was "told".

According to Florida Congresswoman Federica Wilson, who said she overheard the phone conversation between Mr Trump and Mr Johnson's widow Myeshia Johnson, the president said “you know, he must’ve known what he signed up for" and allegedly repeatedly called Mr Johnson "your guy."

Mr Trump also offered $25,000 of his personal money to the father of another soldier, for unknown reasons. The check was supposedly not sent to the father until after the Washington Post reported the story.

Mr Mattis offered a terse "we honour our fallen in America and that's all I'll say."