Green Berets conduct a medical evacuation exercise during a patrol within the 55km deconfliction zone in Syria, May 27, 2020. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. William Howard)
United States forces have been attacked 55 times in Iraq and Syria since October 17, the Pentagon revealed on November 14.
Speaking at a press briefing, Deputy Pentagon Spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said there have been 27 attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq and 28 in Syria. She also provided an update on the casualties sustained during these attacks.
“Approximately 27 personnel have been evaluated for TBI [traumatic brain injury] and 32 for other non-serious injuries. As of today, all 59 have returned to duty,” Singh said.
All the wounded have all successfully returned to duty, the spokeswomen noted, adding that U.S. forces had thwarted most of the attacks using air defense systems.
An Iranian-backed shadowy armed group known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for nearly all recent attacks on U.S. forces, saying that they were carried out in response to the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.
The group formed a special operations room to support Palestinian armed factions following the October 17 Al-Ahli Arab Hospital massacre.
Pressed about the surge in attacks, Singh defended U.S. policy, which has seen retaliatory strikes on warehouses and training facilities in Syria, that Washington feels deterrence is working against Iran and the forces it supports in the Middle East.
Two more attacks against U.S. forces were reported after the Pentagon’s update. A salvo of rockets hit the Conoco Mission Support Site in the eastern Syria governorate of Deir Ezzor late on November 14. Another rocket attack targeted the Ayn al-Assad Air Base in the western Iraqi province of al-Anbat on November 15 morning.
The recent attacks forced the U.S. to reinforce its bases in the Middle East with more than 1,200 troops and a dozen air defense systems. Nevertheless, Washington continues to provide Israel with unconditional support.
