Eight US soldiers injured in Syria base attack: Pentagon
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A Pentagon spokesperson has confirmed that eight US soldiers were injured in a drone strike on Saturday, as five remain hospitalized with TBI and smoke inhalation injuries.
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Pentagon spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder departs after a press briefing at the Pentagon, the United States, on August 13, 2024. (AP)
At least eight United States troops were injured in a US occupation base in Rmelan, Syria, earlier on Saturday, US Defense Department spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder stated.
All the wounded received treatments for Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI), which may lead to permanent disabilities, especially in severe cases, and smoke inhalation injuries, which may also include thermal injuries or severe burns. The Pentagon maintains a degree of secrecy over the level of injuries suffered by its troops, as it has consistently used general terms to characterize injuries suffered by servicepeople and avoided going into specifics.
The wounded soldiers were evacuated to separate locations "for further assessment and evaluation," Ryder told reporters on Tuesday. Only three of the eight soldiers have returned to service while the rest remain hospitalized, or as Ryder put it "under observation".
The Pentagon spokesperson said that none of the injuries were life-threatening, however, this remark does not rule out the possibility that the service people received life-long or temporary impairing injuries.
On Saturday night, the US occupation base in northeastern Syria's al-Hasakah governorate. According to Al Mayadeen's correspondent, an explosive-laden unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) struck the base, however, no faction has taken responsibility for the attack to this point. US bases in the region have come under multiple attacks in recent weeks, especially after the region saw a rise in tensions, following Israeli and US strikes in Lebanon, Iran, and Iraq.
US-Israeli escalation drives region closer to war
US bases in the region came under increasing attacks, largely by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, in concurrence with the Israeli war on Gaza. The Iraqi Resistance viewed these bases as a legitimate target in support of the Palestinian people, due to the US's vast support to the Israeli regime, as well as the US destabilizing presence in the region.
The developments coincide with battles between Arab tribes and the US-backed separatists Syrian Democratic forces in eastern Syria. Earlier, Arab tribes launched wide-scale attacks on the SDF's position on the eastern bank of the Euphrates in Deir Ezzor in rejection of the US-imposed status quo in the region. On the other hand, the SDF launched counter-attacks on tribal forces with US assistance.
Militants also besieged government-controlled enclaves in the northeastern governorates of al-Hasakah and Qamishli. On Wednesday, Russian mediation successfully lifted the siege on the government-controlled enclaves, after a series of talks between Syrian officials and SDF representatives.
However, to the southeast, skirmishes are ongoing between the SDF and Arab tribes.
Read more: Six Syrian auxiliary troops martyred in drone strike in Deir Ezzor
