Eight U.S. troops are being treated for traumatic brain injuries and smoke inhalation after a drone attack in northeastern Syria on Friday, Aug. 9.
The attackers targeted the Rumalyn Landing Zone, which hosts both U.S. and coalition forces.
“Following the attack, out of an abundance of caution, eight service members were transported to a separate location for further assessment and evaluation,” Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Tuesday. “All eight received treatment for TBI and smoke inhalation. Three of those service members have returned to duty while the others remain under observation.”
Ryder, citing the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said none of the injuries were life-threatening.
Thus far, the U.S. military assesses an Iranian-backed Shia militia group carried out the attack. Ryder said the U.S. military is “still digging into specifics of the attack.”
The attack on the Rumalyn Landing Zone comes just days after attackers targeted the Asad Airbase in Iraq. Four U.S. service members and a U.S. contractor were injured in the Asad Airbase attack. Three of those U.S. troops were evacuated for further treatment, while the fourth service member and the contractor were able to return to duty.
Like the Syria attack, the U.S. military believes an Iranian-linked Iraqi Shia militia group launched the Asad Airbase attack.
The pair of rocket and drone attacks come as the United States and Israel are on heightened alert Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in a targeted blast while visiting Iran. While no party has claimed responsibility for Haniyeh’s death, Iran has blamed both Israel and the United States and vowed to respond.
The U.S. military has deployed forces to Iraq and Syria since 2014, as part of a counter Islamic State mission. While ostensibly fighting to defeat ISIS, those U.S. forces have also clashed with Iran-linked groups throughout the region.
Around 900 U.S. troops remain in Syria and around 2,500 more remain in Iraq.
This article was originally published by FreeBase News and is reprinted with permission.
