38 attacks target US forces in Iraq, Syria in less than one month
Iraqi Air Force helicopters land at Ain Al-Asad base in western Iraq in December 2019. Photo: Reuters
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iranian-backed militias have targeted American soldiers in Iraq and Syria with drones or rockets at least 38 times in less than a month, with six of the incidents occurring in the last two days.
Most of these strikes were thwarted by the US military or were unable to accomplish their objectives, leaving minimal deaths or infrastructure damage.
According to figures released on Monday by Pentagon press secretary Brigadier General Pat Ryder, the assaults have injured 46 US soldiers, more than twice as many as had been previously reported.
In addition to traumatic brain injuries, Ryder noted, “these could be things like shrapnel, headaches, perforated eardrums, tinnitus, or a rolled ankle.”
Four strikes resulted in the injuries of US military personnel: two multidrone attacks at Ain Al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq; a drone attack at Al-Harir Air Base in Erbil, where the drone fell before exploding; and a multidrone attack at Al-Tanf military base in Syria.
After receiving medical treatment, all injured soldiers went back to work, Ryder informed reporters on Monday. But two US soldiers were later sent to Germany’s Landstuhl Regional Medical Center for additional medical testing after receiving treatment for traumatic brain injuries.
After US forces struck a weapons warehouse and an ammunition warehouse in eastern Syria last Friday, which the Pentagon said were used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and affiliated groups, at least 16 unsuccessful attacks against American personnel were carried out.
Since the attacks started last month, Sunday saw the most attacks in a single day, according to the Pentagon.