No Enemy Fire Involved; Investigation Underway
“A helicopter accident in northeastern Syria over the weekend resulted in injuries to 22 American service members, according to a statement from the U.S. military. The incident, described as a “”mishap,”” is currently under investigation, and officials have confirmed that no enemy fire was involved.
The military statement, released on Tuesday, indicated that the injured service members were receiving medical treatment, with 10 of them transferred to “”higher care facilities”” outside the region for additional support. “A helicopter mishap in northeastern Syria resulted in the injuries of various degrees of 22 U.S. service members,” the statement noted.
The U.S. maintains approximately 900 troops in Syria, along with an unspecified number of contractors, primarily to assist the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the ongoing fight against the Islamic State (ISIS). Since ISIS was defeated in March 2019, U.S. forces have focused on preventing the group’s resurgence, despite the continued threat posed by ISIS sleeper cells.
The situation remains precarious, with around 10,000 ISIS fighters detained in facilities across Syria and tens of thousands of their family members residing in refugee camps in the northeast. Over the past few years, U.S. troops have faced various attacks from ISIS and Iran-backed militias. Notably, a drone attack on a U.S. base in late March resulted in the death of a contractor and injuries to five American personnel. In retaliation, U.S. fighter jets targeted several sites in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin characterized the airstrikes as a necessary response to both the drone attack and ongoing threats to coalition forces from Iranian-affiliated groups.
In a related development, Syrian Kurdish-led authorities announced plans to trial hundreds of ISIS fighters currently held in prisons, following the refusal of their home countries to accept repatriation. A spokesperson for the U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish forces has not yet provided further comment on this issue.”
