Article snippet: The top general in the United States pledged Monday to keep the public, the media and Congress informed of the investigation into the ambush in Niger as questions continue to swirl about the circumstances of the attack. Yet, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford provided few new details on the Oct. 4 attack that left four U.S. soldiers dead, saying the investigation would clear up many of the questions. “We owe the families as much information as we can find out about what happened, and we owe the American people an explanation of what their men and women were doing at this particular time," Dunford told reporters at the Pentagon. “The only thing I’m asking for today is a bit of patience to make sure what we provide to you, when we provide it, is factual.” Dunford took questions from reporters for about 50 minutes to address what he acknowledged was a "perception that the Department of Defense has not been forthcoming." Though he offered few answers, he conceded reporters were asking “fair questions.” The Pentagon has come under increasing criticism from prominent lawmakers and others over transparency on the attack and, more broadly, U.S. operations in Niger. On Sunday, for example, both Sen. MORE (D-N.Y.) said that before the attack, they were unaware the United States had 1,000 troops in Niger and surrounding countries. Lawmakers were notified in a June letter from the White House that the United States had about 945 troops in the region. ... Link to the full article to read more